Lot 20 - Shepard Fairey (American, b. 1970) Wave of distress - 2021, screenprint (signed)

Also from the creator of Obama’s “Hope” poster and Obey Giant.

Starting bid: $350
Estimated value: $400-$1200
Buyer's premium: 18%

DESCRIPTION:
Shepard Fairey (American, b. 1970) Wave of Distress - sepia, 2021, framed screen print, numbered and signed by artist

Dimensions - approx. 21.5 inches x 27.5 inches, framed

PROVENANCE:
Blackline Gallery, San Francisco (acquired from Obey Giant)
Acquired from the above by the present owner

*A certificate of authenticity from the gallery is included.

ABOUT:
Shepard Fairey began as a street artist, placing stickers of Andre the Giant in public spaces around the country in the 1990s.

The notoriety he gained from this project led him to a career that merged street art and marketing, working with companies such as Pepsi and Hasbro, as well as musicians such as the Black Eyed Peas, Smashing Pumpkins, and Bauhaus. Later, the subjects of his work often centered on portraits with political themes, like his best known piece, the Barack Obama "Hope" poster for the 2008 presidential campaign.

The piece at auction here is somewhat uncommon in his body of work, free of his lifelong focus on people and brands. In line with more-traditional artworks, this silk screen instead points at our relationship with nature and the idea of beauty in peril - specifically, the ever-worsening health of our oceans - and was made in reference to World Water Day, in 2021.

*Condition report upon request.