Michael Murphy Obama Nail Portrait, 2007 Light, shadows, 6,400 2" nails, oak plate 24 x 24 x 4"
Michael Murphy Forward, 2008 Light, shadows, high performance urethane 24 x 24 x 4"
Michael Murphy Acension, 2009 Tension wire, pine base 24 x 34 x 144"
Michael Murphy Tension, 2008 One thousand feet of high tension wire, black enamel, oak 24 x 34 x 144"
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Michael Murphy Obama Nail Portrait, 2007 Light, shadows, 6,400 2" nails, oak plate 24 x 24 x 4"
Michael Murphy Forward, 2008 Light, shadows, high performance urethane 24 x 24 x 4"
Michael Murphy Acension, 2009 Tension wire, pine base 24 x 34 x 144"
Michael Murphy Tension, 2008 One thousand feet of high tension wire, black enamel, oak 24 x 34 x 144"
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44
Diederick Kraaijeveld
Diederick Kraaijeveld
Barack Obama Portrait, 2008
Mr. President, 2009
Vintage wood found on the
Originally colored
Mombasa beach in Kenya
salvaged/reclaimed wood and nails
30 x 47"
31½ x 48"
45
44
Diederick Kraaijeveld
Diederick Kraaijeveld
Barack Obama Portrait, 2008
Mr. President, 2009
Vintage wood found on the
Originally colored
Mombasa beach in Kenya
salvaged/reclaimed wood and nails
30 x 47"
31½ x 48"
45
Scott Hansen Progress, 2008 Screenprint on paper 23 x 40" opposite
Lukas Ketner Barack on the Water, 2008 Digital painting on paper 12 x 18"
50
51
Scott Hansen Progress, 2008 Screenprint on paper 23 x 40" opposite
Lukas Ketner Barack on the Water, 2008 Digital painting on paper 12 x 18"
50
51
Rafael Lopez Nuestra Voz, 2008 Acrylic on wood 18 x 24" opposite
Rafael Lopez Unidad, 2008 Acrylic on wood 18 x 24"
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63
Rafael Lopez Nuestra Voz, 2008 Acrylic on wood 18 x 24" opposite
Rafael Lopez Unidad, 2008 Acrylic on wood 18 x 24"
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HVW8 “People ask why I was so supportive about Obama when I’m a Canadian and can’t
HVW8 Untitled, 2008 Latex and spray paint
even vote in the U.S. Well the short answer—it’s pretty amazing! Since I have lived in the U.S., people living outside the U.S. would always criticize America and its
opposite
politics. It was deserved, but at the same time the Bush administration and his
HVW8
policies didn’t represent the America I know and love. Now you have Obama—and
Untitled, 2008
only in America could you have such a amazing almost instant transformation stem-
Acrylic and spray paint mural
ming from a individual with such massive ramifications. I feel that America is “Good” again, and with everything that has been happening with the world economy and events, it demonstrates how inter–connected the world is. What is good for here is good for the world. Go bama!”
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71
HVW8 “People ask why I was so supportive about Obama when I’m a Canadian and can’t
HVW8 Untitled, 2008 Latex and spray paint
even vote in the U.S. Well the short answer—it’s pretty amazing! Since I have lived in the U.S., people living outside the U.S. would always criticize America and its
opposite
politics. It was deserved, but at the same time the Bush administration and his
HVW8
policies didn’t represent the America I know and love. Now you have Obama—and
Untitled, 2008
only in America could you have such a amazing almost instant transformation stem-
Acrylic and spray paint mural
ming from a individual with such massive ramifications. I feel that America is “Good” again, and with everything that has been happening with the world economy and events, it demonstrates how inter–connected the world is. What is good for here is good for the world. Go bama!”
70
71
David Choe Hussein, 2008 Aerosol and acrylic mural on masonite board 120 x 120"
DAVID CHOE “. . . In the beginning it was more of a joke because I was like this guy is never gonna win. But then I got to hear him speak, and found out more about his personal life, and then I started to really like the guy and relate to him—and, really, what do I have in common with any other guy that’s ever been president of this country? Nothing. So this was huge for me . . . I’m gonna try and help this guy out the way only way I can, by painting the best fucking painting I possibly can, to capture this man's character, hopes, and dreams into one image.” –David Choe on what about Obama inspires you
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David Choe Hussein, 2008 Aerosol and acrylic mural on masonite board 120 x 120"
DAVID CHOE “. . . In the beginning it was more of a joke because I was like this guy is never gonna win. But then I got to hear him speak, and found out more about his personal life, and then I started to really like the guy and relate to him—and, really, what do I have in common with any other guy that’s ever been president of this country? Nothing. So this was huge for me . . . I’m gonna try and help this guy out the way only way I can, by painting the best fucking painting I possibly can, to capture this man's character, hopes, and dreams into one image.” –David Choe on what about Obama inspires you
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ROBBIE CONAL “First and foremost: I believe that American Art bubbles up from America’s city streets. Big cities, little cities, trailer parks . . . garages. A blast of ozone from enough spray cans alters the molecular structure of the culture. Keeping it real, so to speak.”
Robbie Conal Waiting, Watching, and Dreaming, 2008 Oil on photomontage 60 x 72" each
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ROBBIE CONAL “First and foremost: I believe that American Art bubbles up from America’s city streets. Big cities, little cities, trailer parks . . . garages. A blast of ozone from enough spray cans alters the molecular structure of the culture. Keeping it real, so to speak.”
Robbie Conal Waiting, Watching, and Dreaming, 2008 Oil on photomontage 60 x 72" each
82
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KWAKU ALSTON “I was fortunate to have the opportunity to photograph President Obama and his family a few times during the campaign. Due to the significance of the election, I wanted to approach the portraits with a sense of history and purpose. The president and his family are role models for young people, for African-Americans, for anyone who believes in change. It was important to me that the images reflected how strong they are as individuals and
Kwaku Alston The Family in the Rain, 2008 Chromogenic print 20 x 24"
as a family. opposite
With the silhouette, I intended to hint at a familiar profile of JFK, the young presi-
Kwaku Alston
dential candidate who is unafraid of the challenges before him. The idea was to
Obama Silhouette, 2008
revisit the portrait, but to make a shift and try to create a timeless image. The pro-
Chromogenic print
file lit from the back just outlines the face, without showing race. The goal was to
20 x 24"
exhibit the power and integrity of his spirit, rather than making another photograph of the first African-American candidate. It was an amazing experience to spend time with the first family. They have a closeness that is beautiful. It was effortless to highlight the idea that being with his family is a source of joy and security for the president. We were at a Fourth of July parade in Montana and it began to rain. We all started running, the family was smiling—it was a spontaneous moment that captures their grace and warmth. Hope is an idea, a choice, a feeling. President Obama and his family brought this concept to light again, and have inspired us all to believe in ourselves, our neighbors, our country, and our world.�
89
KWAKU ALSTON “I was fortunate to have the opportunity to photograph President Obama and his family a few times during the campaign. Due to the significance of the election, I wanted to approach the portraits with a sense of history and purpose. The president and his family are role models for young people, for African-Americans, for anyone who believes in change. It was important to me that the images reflected how strong they are as individuals and
Kwaku Alston The Family in the Rain, 2008 Chromogenic print 20 x 24"
as a family. opposite
With the silhouette, I intended to hint at a familiar profile of JFK, the young presi-
Kwaku Alston
dential candidate who is unafraid of the challenges before him. The idea was to
Obama Silhouette, 2008
revisit the portrait, but to make a shift and try to create a timeless image. The pro-
Chromogenic print
file lit from the back just outlines the face, without showing race. The goal was to
20 x 24"
exhibit the power and integrity of his spirit, rather than making another photograph of the first African-American candidate. It was an amazing experience to spend time with the first family. They have a closeness that is beautiful. It was effortless to highlight the idea that being with his family is a source of joy and security for the president. We were at a Fourth of July parade in Montana and it began to rain. We all started running, the family was smiling—it was a spontaneous moment that captures their grace and warmth. Hope is an idea, a choice, a feeling. President Obama and his family brought this concept to light again, and have inspired us all to believe in ourselves, our neighbors, our country, and our world.�
89
LISA ANNE AUERBACH “In 2004, I bought a knitting machine and started making sweaters in support of John Kerry. The idea was to make something in support of a political candidate that could be worn to the office, and I was curious about how a sweater rooted in a particular time would feel years later. I still wear those ‘Bush is Scary, Vote for Kerry’ garments, with a mix of nostalgia and bitterness. I was desperate for John Kerry to win, and four years later, I was even more desperate for Obama to take office. Wearing a sweater emblazoned with words can be confrontational, but also inviting. There’s something non–threatening about a sweater, and I’ve found that the cozy, homespun quality can attract level–headed conversation in a way that a T–shirt or button might not. Making sweaters in support of Kerry was a pretty lonely pursuit. Even though I started a Web site called ‘Knitters for Kerry,’ I think I was the only knitter. 2008 was completely different, with the groundswell of support bubbling up everywhere. Patterns for the Obama logo and the word “HOPE” were popping up on knitting Web sites across the Internet; everyone was so inspired. I would have made sweaters about almost anyone running on the Democratic ticket, but I’m really glad it was Obama. It’s fun to be an iconoclast, but it’s even better to be part of an overwhelming grassroots movement that sweeps a tide of change across the country.”
Lisa Anne Auerbach My Jewish Grandma is Voting for Obama/Chosen People Choose Obama, 2008 Wool
Lisa Anne Auerbach Yes We Can/No He McCain’t (front), 2008 Wool
Lisa Anne Auerbach Yes We Can/No He McCain’t (back), 2008 Wool
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LISA ANNE AUERBACH “In 2004, I bought a knitting machine and started making sweaters in support of John Kerry. The idea was to make something in support of a political candidate that could be worn to the office, and I was curious about how a sweater rooted in a particular time would feel years later. I still wear those ‘Bush is Scary, Vote for Kerry’ garments, with a mix of nostalgia and bitterness. I was desperate for John Kerry to win, and four years later, I was even more desperate for Obama to take office. Wearing a sweater emblazoned with words can be confrontational, but also inviting. There’s something non–threatening about a sweater, and I’ve found that the cozy, homespun quality can attract level–headed conversation in a way that a T–shirt or button might not. Making sweaters in support of Kerry was a pretty lonely pursuit. Even though I started a Web site called ‘Knitters for Kerry,’ I think I was the only knitter. 2008 was completely different, with the groundswell of support bubbling up everywhere. Patterns for the Obama logo and the word “HOPE” were popping up on knitting Web sites across the Internet; everyone was so inspired. I would have made sweaters about almost anyone running on the Democratic ticket, but I’m really glad it was Obama. It’s fun to be an iconoclast, but it’s even better to be part of an overwhelming grassroots movement that sweeps a tide of change across the country.”
Lisa Anne Auerbach My Jewish Grandma is Voting for Obama/Chosen People Choose Obama, 2008 Wool
Lisa Anne Auerbach Yes We Can/No He McCain’t (front), 2008 Wool
Lisa Anne Auerbach Yes We Can/No He McCain’t (back), 2008 Wool
120
121
AMY MARTIN “I was contacted by Manifest Hope after one of the producers saw a poster series I’d just completed for 826LA (a non–profit that provides writing workshops and after–school tutoring to kids) hanging in the window of the Time Travel Mart in Echo Park. They had been really happy with the way the Shepard Fairey print was drawing attention in younger, urban neighborhoods and wanted something that would communicate more strongly to women—specifically women in the Midwest, where I’m from. I was really attracted to Obama’s positions on environmental stewardship, strong families, and education, and I knew I wanted to weave those in somehow. As soon as the CHANGE theme was brought up, I thought of butterflies (perfect, natural symbols of metamorphosis, progress, possibility, and grace) and babies, and how my friends in Michigan would take their kids outside and lift them high up in the air so they could grab apples from the trees. It was such an optimistic image, and really captured for me the better world that we want our kids to have, and the kind of support and love the creation of that world requires. I do think that Obama’s campaign was about lifting people up— not just people in our own families and neighborhoods, but everyone. Our strength as a nation is dependent on the strength of our families and communities. I think it’s really crucial that artists get outside of ourselves and involved in causes we care about – it’s important for everybody to participate. Some incredible art came out of Manifest Hope, and I feel tremendously lucky that I had the opportunity to help out in this way, but everybody who helped was essential, whether they were phone-banking or going door–to–door. Democracy is an active process, not just something that happens on C–SPAN. Hopefully, some people got to know their neighbors a little better, and will continue to stay active. There’s certainly more work to do.”
opposite
Margaret Cusack
Amy Martin
Country Celebration, 1986
Hope, 2008
Quilted fabric
Screenprint on paper÷
29 x 22"
24 x 36" ÷
Julianne Walther Hope in Cotton, 2008 Cotton and thread quilt 24 x 36"
126
127
AMY MARTIN “I was contacted by Manifest Hope after one of the producers saw a poster series I’d just completed for 826LA (a non–profit that provides writing workshops and after–school tutoring to kids) hanging in the window of the Time Travel Mart in Echo Park. They had been really happy with the way the Shepard Fairey print was drawing attention in younger, urban neighborhoods and wanted something that would communicate more strongly to women—specifically women in the Midwest, where I’m from. I was really attracted to Obama’s positions on environmental stewardship, strong families, and education, and I knew I wanted to weave those in somehow. As soon as the CHANGE theme was brought up, I thought of butterflies (perfect, natural symbols of metamorphosis, progress, possibility, and grace) and babies, and how my friends in Michigan would take their kids outside and lift them high up in the air so they could grab apples from the trees. It was such an optimistic image, and really captured for me the better world that we want our kids to have, and the kind of support and love the creation of that world requires. I do think that Obama’s campaign was about lifting people up— not just people in our own families and neighborhoods, but everyone. Our strength as a nation is dependent on the strength of our families and communities. I think it’s really crucial that artists get outside of ourselves and involved in causes we care about – it’s important for everybody to participate. Some incredible art came out of Manifest Hope, and I feel tremendously lucky that I had the opportunity to help out in this way, but everybody who helped was essential, whether they were phone-banking or going door–to–door. Democracy is an active process, not just something that happens on C–SPAN. Hopefully, some people got to know their neighbors a little better, and will continue to stay active. There’s certainly more work to do.”
opposite
Margaret Cusack
Amy Martin
Country Celebration, 1986
Hope, 2008
Quilted fabric
Screenprint on paper÷
29 x 22"
24 x 36" ÷
Julianne Walther Hope in Cotton, 2008 Cotton and thread quilt 24 x 36"
126
127
CASEY RYDER “Typically, I’m one of those people who only get involved in politics on Election Day. I cast my vote. I get my sticker. Then I go home and watch Jon Stewart make fun of the whole thing. But all that changed with Barack. For the first time in my
Casey Ryder
life, I didn’t just root for the blue team to win. I actually got in the game. I worked
Progress, 2008
a phone bank. I went to rallies. I passed out bumper stickers by the dozen. All
Screen print on wood 27 x 20"
Casey Ryder
because I finally felt like Barack was a politician I could be proud of. A leader like my parents remember in Kennedy. Or my grandparents remember in FDR. My art was simply born from that sense of pride. That connection. And it's just one more
The New Ideal, 2008
example of how Barack inspired me to do more than just check a few boxes every
Mixed media on wood
four years.”
24 x 24"
148
149
CASEY RYDER “Typically, I’m one of those people who only get involved in politics on Election Day. I cast my vote. I get my sticker. Then I go home and watch Jon Stewart make fun of the whole thing. But all that changed with Barack. For the first time in my
Casey Ryder
life, I didn’t just root for the blue team to win. I actually got in the game. I worked
Progress, 2008
a phone bank. I went to rallies. I passed out bumper stickers by the dozen. All
Screen print on wood 27 x 20"
Casey Ryder
because I finally felt like Barack was a politician I could be proud of. A leader like my parents remember in Kennedy. Or my grandparents remember in FDR. My art was simply born from that sense of pride. That connection. And it's just one more
The New Ideal, 2008
example of how Barack inspired me to do more than just check a few boxes every
Mixed media on wood
four years.”
24 x 24"
148
149