Poster, Peace Guard II , 2016

Shepard Fairey (b. 1970, USA), one of the best known and most influential street artists, earnestly began his career during his time studying illustration and fine art at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). While there, he designed his “Andre the Giant Has a Posse” sticker campaign in 1989, which grew into a call from Fairey for people to evaluate their relationship with their surroundings, thus propelling his art as activism.

Fairey described his design for the Peace Guard II screenprint as “a reminder that pushing for peace, ironically, requires a militant vigilance itself.” The screenprint thus invokes the themes of Fairey’s work as a reminder to pay attention. Equally, it remains consistent with his usual style and color choices, identifiable as his work and complimentary of his designs already in the collection.

In the Designing Peace exhibition (Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, June 2022—August 2023), the screenprint of Peace Guard II (edition of 450, 24in x 18in, 2016) was displayed as one example of the work included in Art the Arms Fair 2019. The Fair is a biennial art exhibition that runs parallel to the Defense and Security Equipment International (DSEI) in London, one of the largest arms fairs in the world. Official delegations from around the world, including countries with poor human rights records, trade and purchase weaponry, ranging from tanks and bombs to warships and combat aircraft.

Aiming to expose the international arms trade and expand the discourse on its role in contemporary society—Britain is a top arms exporter, along with the United States, Russia, France, Germany, and China—a group of like-minded individuals organized a parallel two-week, free to the public event: Art the Arms Fair. Artists from any discipline may submit work in an open call, and established artists, such as the Guerrilla Girls and Anish Kapoor, have also contributed. Through art sales and donations, the all-volunteer effort raises significant funds for a partner organization, Campaign Against Arms Trade. Through visual art exhibitions, lectures, and workshops along with poetry, comedy, and music events, the fair provides a way for artists and the wider public to voice their opposition to the war industry while also envisioning alternatives.

Fairey’s Peace Guard II’s inclusion in Art the Arms Fair and in Designing Peace lends further credence to his history of using his art as activism and contributing to larger political discussions and campaigns. The poster’s style, purpose, and historical context solidify it as an apt example of Fairey’s career.

Poster, Peace Guard II , 2016; Designed by Shepard Fairey (born 1970, United States); screenprint on paper; H x W: 61 × 46 cm (24 in. × 18 1/8 in.) ; Transfer from Exhibitions Department; 2025-12-1

This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibition Designing Peace.