Artwork Description
Revolution in our Time Silkscreen Print by Shepard Fairey- OBEY Hand-Pulled 5-Color on Cream Speckletone Fine Art Paper Limited Edition Artwork Obey Pop Culture Artist.
2020 Signed & Numbered Limited Edition of 500 Artwork Size 18x24 Silkscreen Print
"Oct 1 is the 70th anniversary of Communist Party rule in China and the Chinese government is planning an extravaganza of choreographed contentment in the mainland while the people of Hong Kong will hit the streets in an effort to secure their rights. I’ve long believed that protests in the streets are an essential tool for meaningful change because the passion, courage, and visceral force of the participants in a mass protest send a powerful message that they are fully committed to their cause! Ed Nachtrieb photographed many incredible moments of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. I’m honored to collaborate with Ed on a set of two images based on his documentation 30 years ago, especially because pro-democracy and human-rights protesters are in the streets of Hong Kong right now! This image “Long Live The People” will be released as a print soon… more details to come. Check out Ed Nachtrieb’s thoughts on the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests." -Shepard Fairey- OBEY
"After the People’s Liberation Army was sent in to suppress what is now called the “pro-democracy movement” on June 4, 1989, there was a liberalization of economic rules and policies. China then experienced a remarkable economic transformation. The idea: if people could get rich, they wouldn’t care so much about their freedoms. I think that’s a miscalculation. In Hong Kong today, ideas championed in 1989 have reappeared in a “Revolution of Our Time” in spite of the campaign to erase such “counter-revolutionary” thoughts from history. My images used in these prints are from energetic and optimistic moments of the pro-democracy movement. Victory was in the air. Progress seemed inevitable to those with arms outstretched and smiles beaming from their faces. Shepard’s work reflects their hopes and aspirations. The same ones that fortified those protesters in 1989 are now fuel for the passionate idealists on the streets today." -Edward Nachtrieb
Shepard Fairey Revolution in Our Time 2020 Silkscreen Print
Shepard Fairey, born Frank Shepard Fairey in the United States, created Revolution in Our Time in 2020 as part of a collaboration with American photojournalist Edward Nachtrieb. This hand pulled five color silkscreen print measures 18 x 24 inches and is produced on cream Speckletone fine art paper in a signed and numbered limited edition of 500. The imagery is based on Nachtrieb’s documentation of the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro democracy demonstrations, reinterpreted through Fairey’s bold graphic language rooted in Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork. Released amid renewed pro democracy protests in Hong Kong, the print connects historical calls for reform with contemporary civic movements, reinforcing Fairey’s long standing belief that public protest is an essential catalyst for meaningful political change.
Protest Iconography and Graphic Language in Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork
The composition features a smiling protester raising a hand in a gesture of peace beneath a red field with a yellow star, referencing national symbolism while reframing it through the lens of grassroots activism. A white dove emblem appears within an ornamental motif, suggesting aspirations for freedom and unity. Torn paper effects reveal layered textures, newsprint fragments, and secondary protest imagery, creating depth and historical resonance. Fairey’s use of high contrast black, red, cream, and teal echoes traditional propaganda aesthetics while redirecting that visual authority toward the voice of the people rather than the state. This strategic appropriation of graphic propaganda structure is a hallmark of Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork, where familiar visual codes are recontextualized to amplify dissent and solidarity.
Historical Memory and Contemporary Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork
Edward Nachtrieb’s photographs captured moments of optimism during the 1989 demonstrations before military suppression altered the course of that movement. Revolution in Our Time preserves that spirit of hope and determination through stylized reduction and bold silkscreen craftsmanship. The limited edition structure of 500 signed and numbered prints reflects the established fine art production model within Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork, ensuring both collectibility and archival presence. By merging documentary history with assertive graphic composition, Fairey transforms a specific historical moment into a broader symbol of civic courage, demonstrating how contemporary printmaking can sustain public memory and inspire ongoing engagement with democratic ideals.
