Artwork Description
This Machine Kills Fascists AP Silkscreen Print by Shepard Fairey- OBEY Artist Proof Hand-Pulled Screen Print on Speckletone Fine Art Paper Limited Edition Pop Street Art Artwork.
AP Artist Proof 2006 Signed & AP Marked Original Run Limited Edition Artwork Size 18x24 Silkscreen Print of Young Denny Laine From Rock Bands Moody Blues & Wings Leaning On Guitar.
This Machine Kills Fascists AP Silkscreen Print by Shepard Fairey
This Machine Kills Fascists is a 2006 Artist Proof silkscreen print by Shepard Fairey, released under his OBEY moniker. Hand-pulled on Speckletone fine art paper, this 18 x 24 inch work comes from the original run and is signed and marked AP by the artist. The image depicts a young Denny Laine, legendary guitarist and songwriter associated with the Moody Blues and Wings, leaning on his guitar in a striking, symmetrical composition rooted in Fairey’s early graphic language.
Music as Resistance and Political Symbolism
The phrase “This Machine Kills Fascists” famously appeared on Woody Guthrie’s guitar and has long symbolized music as a weapon against authoritarianism, oppression, and cultural decay. By pairing this statement with Denny Laine’s image, Fairey bridges generations of musical dissent, connecting folk protest traditions to British rock’s role in cultural upheaval. The guitar becomes both instrument and emblem, reinforcing the idea that creativity, truth, and expression are tools of resistance. Radiating lines and ornamental borders amplify the icon-like presentation, elevating the musician into a symbol rather than a portrait.
Shepard Fairey’s Early Iconography and Cultural Legacy
Sourced from a 1967 photograph by Peter Webb, the image reflects Fairey’s early fascination with remixing historical imagery into bold, politically charged compositions. This print sits firmly within the formative years of the OBEY project, where propaganda aesthetics, music history, and anti-fascist messaging converged. As an Artist Proof, this edition carries additional weight for collectors, representing Fairey’s personal archive from a pivotal era in his career. This Machine Kills Fascists remains a powerful example of how street art can honor cultural figures while delivering enduring social commentary through graphic precision and symbolic force.
