Artist: Shepard Fairey (b. 1970) American

Title: Power and Equality

Medium: Screenprint, circa 2007, Limited Edition 125/300

Size: 25.75” x 19.75” Frame

Shepard Fairey’s Power and Equality original screenprint employs a bold, propagandistic visual style to communicate themes of empowerment and social justice. The composition centers on a stylized portrait of Angela Davis, the political activist and scholar, depicted with her iconic afro and a determined upward gaze that conveys resilience and resolve. Rendered in Fairey’s characteristic palette of red, black, cream, and blue, colors associated with revolutionary posters, the image uses strong symmetry, sharp lines, and high contrast to evoke the visual language of political propaganda. Radiating geometric and floral motifs surrounding Davis’s head create a halo-like emphasis that elevates her to a symbolic figure of resistance. The words “Power” and “Equality” reinforce the print’s ideological message, transforming the portrait into a broader visual call for gender justice and collective liberation.

Born February 15, 1970 in Charleston, South Carolina, American muralist and graphic artist, Shepard Fairey, first gained attention for creating a sticker with a portrait of the towering professional wrestler André the Giant and the word Obey. Fairey is perhaps best known for his iconic 2008 “Hope” poster depicting the U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama. Shepard Fairey’s work combines elements of graffiti, pop art, business art, and activism. His work has been seen in galleries and museums around the world. It’s often recognized in graphic design and signature apparel. His work combines street-art activism with entrepreneurial spirit.