Artwork Description
David with Machine Gun Silkscreen Print by Shepard Fairey- OBEY x Blek le Rat Hand-Pulled on Fine Art Paper Limited Edition Pop Street Art Artwork.
2008 Signed by Shepard Fairey & Blek le Rat, Numbered Limited Edition of 100 Artwork Size 18x24 Silkscreen Print
Shepard Fairey x Blek le Rat David with Machine Gun Silkscreen Print 2008
The 2008 David with Machine Gun silkscreen print is a collaborative edition created by Shepard Fairey, known as OBEY, and French stencil art pioneer Blek le Rat. Hand-pulled on fine art paper and produced in a signed and numbered edition of 100, this 18 x 24 inch print merges the strengths of two iconic street artists across generations. Both signatures on each print elevate it to an important collector’s piece within Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork, highlighting not only a striking image but also the historical significance of the collaboration itself.
Imagery and Commentary
The print features a reinterpretation of Michelangelo’s classical sculpture David, here transformed into a provocative figure holding a machine gun. The juxtaposition of the Renaissance ideal of human beauty and form with the stark brutality of a modern weapon serves as a sharp critique of war, violence, and the distortion of cultural ideals. By placing David in a gritty, graffiti-covered urban environment, the work questions how art and society repurpose historic symbols to address contemporary anxieties. This powerful reimagining reflects both Blek le Rat’s tradition of stencil interventions in public spaces and Shepard Fairey’s skill at repurposing cultural icons into tools for social commentary.
Collaborative Significance
Blek le Rat, born Xavier Prou in France in 1951, is celebrated as one of the earliest and most influential stencil graffiti artists. Shepard Fairey, born in Charleston, South Carolina in 1970, became internationally known for his OBEY campaign and his later political works, including the Barack Obama Hope poster. Together, they bridge the early roots of European stencil art with the graphic and politically driven evolution of American street pop art. Their joint works, such as David with Machine Gun, serve as cultural dialogues between two eras, reinforcing the continuity of street art as a platform for protest and public discourse.
Political Resonance and Collector Value
David with Machine Gun functions as a visual protest, reworking an image of purity, youth, and beauty into a statement about the corruption of ideals through militarization and violence. The collaboration underscores both artists’ shared commitment to making politically engaged art accessible to broad audiences. With its limited edition of only 100, dual signatures, and thematic strength, the print has become a significant and sought-after work for collectors. It captures the way Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork can take familiar imagery and transform it into a searing critique of the modern world, cementing its role as both cultural artifact and fine art object.
