Posted on 01/08/2009 6:22:31 PM PST by melt
WASHINGTON — Even before he takes office, President-elect Barack Obama’s image will become part of the permanent collection at the National Portrait Gallery, the museum announced today.
The gallery acquired the iconic red, white and blue collage by Los Angeles street artist Shepard Fairey, depicting Obama with the word “Hope.” The image — later modified with the messages of “Change” and “Vote” for the Obama campaign — became one of the most memorable images from the 2008 election. The curators at the Smithsonian Institution museum plan to hang it by Inauguration Day.
“What I think is so fascinating is the ubiquitous nature,” said Carolyn Carr, deputy director of the Portrait Gallery. “When people think of a portrait of Obama, they think of this image.”
Gallery officials would not reveal how much they paid Fairey for the five-foot tall, mixed-media stenciled collage. Art collectors Heather and Tony Podesta of Washington donated money for the Smithsonian to purchase the work.
Typically, the gallery acquires official portraits of presidents as they are leaving office, and an official Obama portrait will be added later. A portrait of President George W. Bush was unveiled at the gallery in December.
Fairey’s collage appeared on thousands of stickers, posters and T-shirts across the country. Time magazine recently commissioned Fairey to create a similar image of Obama for its Person of the Year cover.
(Excerpt) Read more at suntimes.com ...
Jughead.
Obey Plagiarist Shepard Fairey
I thought some of his stuff looked eerily familiar. Fame and fortune come easily to people with no soul.
looking at this objectively (which is really hard because i really detest this blabbering fool) i have to say that the artwork is actually interesting. the use of unexpected colors and unusual texture is startling and fresh. if this were done in black and white or other (normal) colors it would not be nearly as striking. i do like the style if not the content. maybe if it was elvis or james dean or marilyn monroe?
Andre The Giant 2012: Anybody Want A Peanut?
Yes, but Iconic is a far stretch.
true. but try to imagine a portrait of a marine in afganistan as the subject with those same colors and style. now that would be awesome.
Obama is doing everything in his power to make you believe he is the best thing since sliced bread.
Isn’t it odd that he is trying so hard?
Wow! The guy is a flat out rip off artist.
His entire campaign - not just the images, but especially the images and “bad art” - felt like a USSR-icon and “supreme soviet” styled re-run.
the Chosen one will save us!
The Liberals love to pay homage to the first Black president. Never a day goes by where they don’t kiss his ass.
At least those of us on the Right just refer to him as yet another Dumbass Democrat. Color don’t matter.
Mount Rush"moron"...
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