Obama 'Hope' Illustration Enters The National Portrait Gallery

[babylonsister]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/17/obama-hope-illustration-e_n_158757.html

Obama 'Hope' Illustration Enters The National Portrait Gallery (PHOTOS)

AP | CHRISTINE SIMMONS | January 17, 2009 02:01 PM




WASHINGTON — You might remember that red, white and blue illustration of Barack Obama, staring off into space with the word "Hope" underneath his face.

That illustration got a lot of attention during the presidential campaign. Now people visiting Washington can see the original, up close and in person, at the National Portrait Gallery.

The work by artist Shepard Fairey can be seen in the gallery's new arrivals section. The Los Angeles artist presented the illustration to the gallery on Saturday, three days before Obama's inauguration.

Fairey says he made the image in mid-January last year, and then the posters were distributed at campaign events and made available to download online.

[EFerrari]

1. He did it on spec. Isn't that amazing?

[blonndee]

2. I know some people deride these portraits/posters

because they say they're propaganda-ish, but I really like them. I was lucky enough to get one of them from the guy who organized the GOTV operations in my area as thanks for volunteering. It's already framed and on my wall.

[Shakespeare]

3. That's a tough argument to make, though, given Fairey's career as a guerilla artist.

Guerilla artists really aren't much for propaganda, after all. ;-)

I'm glad Fairey's gotten so much positive attention from it. :thumbsup: