SHEPARD FAIREY 'Ozzy: Farewell Tour' (2019-2025) RARE Matching Number Print Set

SHEPARD FAIREY 'Ozzy: Farewell Tour' (2019-2025) RARE Matching Number Print Set'Ozzy: Farewell Tour' by Shepard Fairey, 2019 RARE Matching Number 2 screen print set from the immediately Sold Out edition. Artwork created in 2019, approved and finally released in 2025. A tribute to the late heavy metal "Black Sabbath" frontman and beloved reality series star. Both silver and red variants. 24 x 18 Inches each. 61 x 45. 7 Centimeters each. Silver: Screen print on 80# True White Speckletone fine art paper. Red: Screen print on cream,

'Ozzy: Farewell Tour' by Shepard Fairey, 2019
RARE Matching Number 2-screen print  set from the immediately Sold Out edition.
Artwork created in 2019, approved and finally released in 2025.
A tribute to the late heavy metal/"Black Sabbath" frontman and beloved reality series star.
Both silver and red variants.
24 x 18 Inches each.
61 x 45.7 Centimeters each.
Silver: Screen print on 80# True White Speckletone fine art paper.
Red: Screen print on cream, Speckletone fine art paper.
Limited Edition of 450 (#169/450)
Each is hand-signed and dated ('19) by Fairey in pencil bottom right.
Each is hand-numbered in pencil bottom left.

ABOUT THE ART

"These prints are from the 2019 Ozzy Farewell Tour that never happened. Because of the strong response to my art for Black Sabbath’s “The End” tour in 2016, I was asked to create a print and T-shirt design for the Ozzy Farewell Tour, allegedly Ozzy’s last extensive tour ever.

Then, right before the tour, after the prints had already been printed, Ozzy fell in his home, and that injury combined with a serious bout of pneumonia led to the cancellation of the tour. I was told that the tour would be rescheduled, likely/maybe at some point, but possibly no longer as the “Farewell Tour”.

This prompted me to think of another revered hard rock institution…Spinal Tap. When David St. Hubbins is asked about the possible end of the band, he replies, “Well, I don’t really think that the end can be assessed as of itself as being the end because what does the end feel like? It’s like saying when you try to extrapolate the end of the universe, you say, if the universe is indeed infinite, then how – what does that mean? How far is all the way, and then if it stops, what’s stopping it, and what’s behind what’s stopping it? So, what’s the end, you know, is my question to you.”

I was left feeling a similar level of ambiguity about the end of Ozzy performing live until I was asked to do some art for the “Back to the Beginning” show which marked the final show ever for Ozzy and the OG Sabbath lineup.

In a literal twist, I rotated the abstract wings graphic device from my 2019 poster 180 degrees to become the frame for my “Back to the Beginning” portrait of Ozzy. I was given permission to finally release 2019 Ozzy Farewell Tour poster, and I think it is obvious why I referred to it as the prequel poster.

There are two color ways because I couldn’t decide which I liked better, giving you the freedom of choice to get one, or the other, or both, or neither… isn’t choice a heavy burden? While you’re pondering that, here’s something I think we can all agree on… LONG LIVE OZZY!"

- Shepard