The Work

Smokin' Strings immortalizes Johnny Ramone, the ferociously downstroked guitarist whose relentless buzzsaw style helped invent punk rock. Fairey captures him mid-attack, guitar slung low, in the high-contrast graphic language that has made his musician portraits some of the most beloved works in his catalog. The composition radiates the raw velocity that defined the Ramones and, by extension, the counterculture Fairey came up in.

For Fairey, punk is not just subject matter but origin story, the DIY ethos that shaped his approach to art and street postering. Honoring Johnny Ramone is therefore a kind of homecoming, a tribute from one uncompromising cultural agitator to another. The decorative framing and warm palette elevate the guitarist to icon status without softening the edge that made him legendary.

Hand-signed and numbered 596/600 in pencil by Shepard Fairey.

Details at a Glance

Artist	Shepard Fairey
Title	Johnny Ramone - Smokin' Strings
Year	—
Medium	Screen print on cream Speckletone paper
Edition	Signed & numbered 596/600
Size	—
Subject	Music / portrait
Signature	Hand-signed and numbered 596/600 in pencil by Shepard Fairey
Condition	Very Good

Condition

Graded Very Good. Please review every photo closely — the images are part of the description and show the actual piece you will receive.

Authenticity & Provenance

Hand-signed and numbered 596/600 in pencil by Shepard Fairey. This is an authentic Shepard Fairey / OBEY Giant limited-edition print.

This release is documented in the Gauntlet Gallery Shepard Fairey reference archive at fairey.gauntlet.gallery.

Sold by Gauntlet Gallery, a specialist dealer in authenticated street art and pop art. Questions are welcome before purchase.

Shipping & Handling

• Ships flat-rolled in a heavy-duty tube, protected in an archival sleeve, fully insured.
• Packed and shipped from a smoke-free studio in Concord, CA.
• Combined shipping available — message before paying.