Posted on 09/24/2010 10:07:57 AM PDT by Qbert
The artist whose poster of Barack Obama became a rallying image during the hope-and-change election of 2008 says he understands why so many people have lost faith.
In an exclusive interview with National Journal on Thursday, Shepard Fairey expressed his disappointment with the president -- a malaise that seems representative of many Democrats who had great expectations for Obama.
Fairey explained that when he came up with the poster in 2008, he was trying to find a single image that embodied the issues he cared most about -- promoting health care, helping labor, and curtailing lobbyists. He likened the issues to projectiles.
"Looking at Obama's standpoint on various policies, it was like, 'Why throw all these particular projectiles over the wall... when I could put all those things in one projectile that I could hurl over the wall,'" Fairey said in a phone interview from Los Angeles, where he lives. "Obama was the delivery device in theory. Now, I realize that he maybe is not the correct delivery device, and I'll just deal with those issues separately."
Fairey's much-reproduced portrait of Obama -- head tilted slightly upward, gazing into the distance, with the word "Hope" emblazoned underneath -- captured the imagination of Democrats and unintentionally tweaked Hillary Rodham Clinton, whose husband had been elected as "The Man From Hope." Hundreds of thousands of posters and stickers with the "Hope" image were distributed to supporters throughout the country. But that was just the beginning. It's been reproduced countless times on the Internet, and a parody version, with Obama as The Joker and "Socialism" in place of "Hope," is a favorite at Tea Party rallies.
Maybe it was inevitable that Hope would fade. Fairey's blue-and-red image was altered from an Associated Press photograph of Obama, and the artist is embroiled in an ongoing lawsuit over use of that picture. (He didn't discuss the case with National Journal.) Fairey, who at 40 is no kid himself, said it's easy to see why young voters are down on Obama and the Democrats. He lamented that health care reform was watered down, Tea Party activists have been emboldened, and his man has fallen short on bold campaign promises like closing Guantanamo Bay.
"There's a lot of stuff completely out of Obama's control or any of the Democrats' control," Fairey allowed. "But I think there's something a little deeper in terms of the optimism of the younger voter that's happening. They wanted somebody who was going to fight against the status quo, and I don't think that Obama has done that." To be sure, Fairey still supports Obama, and he says he would use his talents to assist the president's re-election efforts in 2012. But he said that he couldn't design the same Hope poster today, because the spirit of the Obama campaign hasn't carried over to the Obama presidency.
"To say I feel disappointment is within the context that I know he's very intelligent, very capable, very compassionate," Fairey said. "I think he has the tools, and he does not trust his instincts in how to apply them."
-Barack Hussein Obama
Wow! Even 0bama Girl jumped ship?
They should man the lifeboats!
We’ll know the dems are dead in the water once and for all when she makes a Haley Barbor video. lol
“promoting Labor”?
Screw you, you pos communist fake-artist. Americans can take care of themselves.
He needs to design a series of posters which express his disappointment and frustration in the president.
So he's great but doesn't know he's great??? What a bunch of balony
I know a lot of disappointed Leftists and most of them seem to think that Obama just wasn't Left enough.
“Wow! Even 0bama Girl jumped ship?”
Yep. Awhile ago, actually. Long before Orzag, Summers and the rest realized the ship was sinking... :-)
bttt
“Why throw all these particular projectiles over the wall... when I could put all those things in one projectile that I could hurl over the wall.”
Wow! Obama as ‘vomit’. Now, that’s imagery we can work with!
What are they complaining about? They got the healthcare bill which will destroy insurance companies and we’ll wind up with a single payer system. Isn’t that what they wanted in the first place? The environmental nuts will probably get cap and trade. Kids are going to be indoctrinated big time on environmental issues in their schools. Big government is bigger than ever and will control every aspect of people’s lives. Mrs. Obama is going to tell you what to eat. Isn’t that what they wanted? Etc., etc., etc.
What’s their problem? He has transformed America, just like he wanted to.
“I know a lot of disappointed Leftists and most of them seem to think that Obama just wasn’t Left enough.”
Yep. A hardcore progressive told me with a straight face that he was really down on Obama because he thought he was ‘too much of a moderate’. Glad I wasn’t drinking any liquids when he said it.
Ah yes. The NEA sponsored post-modern “artist”. “Post-modern” meaning a fancy name for crap art produced by rank amateurs who can’t mix paint.
Clowns who thought Obama-lama would usher in the era of free stuff for everyone. Idiots.
Somehow I don’t think The One’s dumb white girl act is going to help politicans in the next election.
What about an update on the guy who first did the Obama ‘Joker’ poster? Probably no regrets...
...has a posse.
Oh what a load of hope...
When you promise pie you have to serve pie, quickly, and lots of it. If they have to wait for two years for the pie they ordered they will all get up and leave the table.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.