Shepard Fairey — "This Is Your God" — 2003 Original Hand-Stamped U.S. Dollar Bill + Original Show Flyer — Mounted in Acrylic Display Case
An exceptional complete invitation set from Shepard Fairey's seminal 2003 exhibition This Is Your God at SIXSPACE Gallery in downtown Los Angeles. This piece is one of only 800 authentic U.S. one-dollar bills hand-stamped by the artist and mailed personally as show invitations, accompanied by the original two-sided exhibition flyer.
This particular set was sent directly from the artist's studio at the time of the original 2003 mailing — a verifiable direct-from-artist provenance that places it among the most desirable surviving copies of this seminal Obey Giant project. The hand-stamped dollar bill is presented in a high-quality acrylic display case with magnetic corner mounts, ready for immediate exhibition or framed presentation.
About the Work:
This Is Your God stands as one of the most conceptually important early projects in the Obey Giant catalog. Inspired directly by John Carpenter's 1988 film They Live — in which the protagonist discovers subliminal messages such as "THIS IS YOUR GOD" hidden on plain white currency — Shepard Fairey produced 800 actual one-dollar bills hand-stamped with the same phrase and a red star, mailing them as show invitations. The project critiques consumerism, the corporate manipulation of value, and the way that ordinary objects (especially money) function as instruments of obedience and ideology. The dollar bill itself was, in the artist's words, "the most valuable currency of all" — obedience.
The accompanying original flyer presents the front of the project's "stamped dollar" graphic in full color, with the show details printed on the reverse. Both items together constitute the original 2003 mailed invitation package — a complete and increasingly rare survival from this important early Obey Giant exhibition.
Set Contents:
Exhibition Details (from Original Flyer):
✦ Why This Set Matters ✦
The 2003 SIXSPACE show predates Shepard Fairey's 2008 Barack Obama "HOPE" poster — the work that brought him worldwide recognition. Pieces from this earlier, pre-"HOPE" period of his career have become significantly more sought after by collectors building chronological archives of his work. Complete invitation sets retaining both the original hand-stamped dollar bill and the printed exhibition flyer are notably scarce in the international secondary market.
★ Authentic 2003 work — 22+ years old
★ Edition of 800 hand-stamped dollar bills
★ Direct from the artist provenance
★ Pre-Obama "HOPE" career period (2003)
★ Set retains both the stamped dollar and original flyer
★ Already mounted in acrylic display case — ready to display
Condition Notes (Honestly Disclosed):
★ Dollar Bill: In Very Good condition for a 22-year-old hand-stamped artwork on a circulated U.S. dollar bill. Light handling creases consistent with the bill's original circulation prior to being stamped. The red star and "THIS IS YOUR GOD" stamp on the obverse remains crisp, vibrant, and well-preserved. The "THIS IS YOUR GOD" stamp on the reverse is also fully legible. Serial number H12546137B (Series 2001) clearly visible. No tears.
★ Flyer: In Very Good condition. Both sides bright and fully legible — the front "stamped dollar" graphic remains rich and unfaded; the reverse exhibition details (venue, dates, sponsors, OBEY logo) clearly readable. Minor edge handling wear consistent with original mailing.
★ Acrylic Display Case: Clean, intact, free of cracks or major scratches. Magnetic corner mounts function properly. The dollar bill is presented in a floating-frame display, visible from both sides.
Please refer to all detailed photos for exact condition verification. Sold as-is.
For Collectors:
Shepard Fairey remains one of the most internationally recognized artists working in the street-art and political-graphic tradition. This Is Your God occupies an important transitional position in his catalog — between his early underground OBEY sticker campaigns and his later mainstream institutional recognition. Complete invitation sets from this 2003 SIXSPACE show — particularly with direct-from-artist provenance and intact original flyer — are well-suited to serious Shepard Fairey collectors, street-art archivists, contemporary art institutions, and admirers of culturally significant early-2000s political art.
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Shipping Methods:
Special care is given to packaging this fragile acrylic-mounted artwork. The acrylic display case will be wrapped in protective foam, then double-boxed in rigid cartons with corner protection and ample cushioning to prevent flexing, cracking, or scratches in transit. The original flyer will be sleeved separately in acid-free protective material. Ships from Tokyo, Japan with full tracking and insurance.
[ For United States Buyers ]
Import duties and taxes are already adjusted and covered by the shipping costs. There will be no additional charges or customs fees for the buyer upon delivery.
[ For Other International Buyers ]
Import duties, taxes, and charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost. These charges are the buyer's responsibility.
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Curated objects from Japan · Tokyo, Japan · Worldwide Shipping