The Work

OBEY Mao Stamp is an early and important example of Shepard Fairey's engagement with communist iconography, rendering Chairman Mao in a stippled, halftone style framed like a commemorative postage stamp. Encircled by a radiant halo and stamped with the OBEY GIANT mark, the portrait fuses the visual authority of state-issued imagery with Fairey's own emergent brand, blurring the line between political idol and manufactured icon.

The work exemplifies Fairey's central thesis: that the tools of propaganda, once decoded, can be turned back on themselves. By reproducing Mao with the reverence of an official stamp while replacing revolutionary slogans with his own, he exposes how personality cults and consumer branding rely on the same visual machinery. This piece is dated by the artist and stands as a cornerstone of his early politically charged output.

Hand-signed and numbered 125/200 in pencil by Shepard Fairey.

Details at a Glance

Artist	Shepard Fairey
Title	OBEY Mao Stamp
Year	2000
Medium	Screen print on cream Speckletone paper
Edition	Signed & numbered 125/200
Size	18 x 24 in
Subject	Propaganda critique
Signature	Hand-signed and numbered 125/200 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 125/200 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.