Gauntlet Gallery — Martha Cooper Print Index
Defiant Youth
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Defiant Youth is a 2009 screen print released through Shepard Fairey's Subliminal Projects, drawing on Martha Cooper's photography. Issued on June 9, 2009 at 18 x 24 inches in a signed and numbered edition of 450, it translates Cooper's documentary image of youth culture into Fairey's screen-printed graphic idiom.
Collector notes: The saved release record describes: Edition of 450, 18 x 24, Signed and Numbered. The saved release record describes: signed; numbered. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
The collaboration places Cooper's documentary eye within the OBEY print ecosystem, a pairing that expanded her reach to poster and street-art collectors. A signed edition of 450 keeps it accessible while retaining collectible status. The title and subject connect directly to Cooper's lifelong focus on young people asserting identity through street culture.
Collector Perspective
Confirm the signature and numbering within the 450 run. As a Subliminal Projects release originally sold at $55, many examples circulated widely, so condition separates strong copies from ordinary ones: look for clean corners, no light exposure fading, and a flat, uncreased sheet. Provenance tied to the original 2009 release adds confidence.
Historical Context
By 2009, Shepard Fairey was regularly issuing collaborative screen prints that reinterpreted photographs by artists he admired. Cooper's images of defiant, self-possessed youth aligned naturally with OBEY's rebellious visual politics. The edition reflects the late-2000s moment when documentary street photography and poster-art printmaking became closely intertwined in the collector market.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned screenprint
- Release date
- 2009
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Medium and materials
- Screen Print; catalog dimensions 24 x 18 inches.
- Edition details
- The saved release record describes: Edition of 450, 18 x 24, Signed and Numbered.
- Signature and marks
- The saved release record describes: signed; numbered. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
Documented History and Meaning
History note: This page treats Martha Cooper's broader career as background context, not proof that this specific edition belongs to any single exhibition or event. Release-level facts here come from a saved secondary catalog record.
Meaning / interpretation: Read as documented context rather than stated intent: By 2009, Shepard Fairey was regularly issuing collaborative screen prints that reinterpreted photographs by artists he admired. This is an interpretive reading of the release context, not a statement of the artist's intent for this specific work. This interpretive note follows the cited artist or publisher context.
Release context: The saved catalog lists 2009 and attributes the edition to Obey Giant.
Authentication, Presentation and Provenance
- Original presentation
- Original packaging or presentation was not documented in the release sources reviewed.
- Authentication note
- Compare the support, dimensions, edition number, and signature against a documented example of this edition. Gauntlet Gallery does not authenticate works purchased from third parties.
- Provenance note
- Edition origin is attributed in the saved record to Obey Giant. That does not establish the ownership history of an individual copy: retain the original invoice, reseller or gallery paperwork, labels, correspondence, and condition photographs.
Sources and Verification
Verification status: Secondary catalog snapshot; artist-level context added
- Saved release record — Art Collectorz · secondary catalog snapshot · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Starting record for title, year, edition, dimensions, medium, and release description. Primary confirmation against the original release page remains pending.
- Martha Cooper — Wikipedia · reference encyclopedia · Accessed 2026-07-13 · General artist-level biographical and career reference.
- Martha Cooper (Q448601) — Wikidata · reference knowledge base · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Structured identifier used for the artist across catalog metadata.
FAQ
What is the edition size?
It is a signed and numbered edition of 450.
When was it released?
It went on sale June 9, 2009, at a price of $55.
What is the size and medium?
It is an 18 x 24 inch screen print.
How does Martha Cooper relate to this print?
The print draws on Cooper's documentary photography, released as a screen print through Shepard Fairey's Subliminal Projects.
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