As you’d have to have lived under a rock on the moon not to be aware already, Shepard Fairey took it upon himself to create an image of Barack Obama during the 2008 USA presidential election season. As you might also know, that image was made into several prints, banners, shirts, anything you can print on, the most influential of which was the HOPE poster. Since the first Obama image Shepard Fariey created, there’s been a whole big bunch of events and images worth noting between the two. Below you will find a complete collection of the Barack Obama x Shepard Fairey affair.

Let’s get started, shall we? Updates in this post start at the bottom and work their way up. This post was created on August 6th, 2009, at which time Shepard Fairey did a press release for the illustration he did for the August 2009 cover of Rolling Stone magazine. Each release below that goes further and further back in time. In between each update you may find random extras. Below the text is all the images you’ll ever need!

OBAMA SO FAR

It’s been six-plus months since Obama took office, and the Rolling Stone cover is the first image of Obama I’ve created in that time. As a candidate, his vision and his message of shared civic duty were inspiring, but as president he faces an unbelievable pressure to accomplish what he set out to do, despite the reality that he can’t do it alone. Much like my “Hope” image was intended to express his vision and his intellectual diligence, I also wanted this new image to convey his focus, but with the added weight and stress of responsibility. Whether media like the New York Daily News are looking to fan conservative flames with “liberals think Obama is the messiah” talking points, or just saying things like that to create juicy headlines, it should be obvious that this image is not about anything divine, but about dealing with the real world job at hand. While he is undoubtedly our leader, the question I placed inside the presidential seal “Will he take bold action or compromise too easily?” is one that I think we all need to ask about ourselves and what we’re doing to work toward what we believe in. The pitfalls of “politics as usual” aren’t reserved for politicians.

However, a lot can and will change. As Joe Strummer of The Clash once said, “The future is unwritten.” In my illustration I make reference to Gilbert Stuart’s famous unfinished portrait of George Washington to capture the idea that, although we’re quick to judge, it’s too early to tell how Obama’s presidency will turn out. Hopefully Obama and all of us who have stood behind him will do everything we can to fill in our incomplete future the way we’ve pictured it. – Shepard (August 6, 2009)

Shepard and Manifest Hope has a special treat for those that are attending the show. Shepard will be releasing a very limited quantity (150) of the “Hope” Obama paster… with one twist… He is signing them with an “09″ in recognition of the Inauguration. So be quick and maybe you’ll get lucky! -Arrested Motion (January 16, 2009)

In addition to hosting the Manifest Hope: DC Extravaganza, Shepard took the time to design the official Inauguaral Poster for President Elect Obama. The limited edition prints are available as we blog, so hurry and get your part of history! Don’t forget to visit the Manifest Hope: DC website to get the latest on the events during Inauragtion. -Manifest Hope (January 7, 2009)

According to extremely reliable sources from the Obama/Studio Number 1 camp, Shepard Fairey is in talks with the Smithsonian Institution to transfer a fine-art version of the Obama HOPE image to their National Portrait Gallery. If this deal goes down, the HOPE painting will be the “first official fine art rendering of the future president” in the Smithsonian collection. The painting in question is the one pictured above, having been displayed at least once at the “Regime Change” show at Irvine Contemporary.

I don’t need to mention that Shepard Fairey is a multiple convicted felon, do I?

This is neat. -A Tiny City (November 18 2008)

In order to do our part to help OBAMA get elected, we started a grassroots campaign on a street postering level and now the OBAMA HOPE image is now part of history. We produced and distributed over 30,000 posters to be placed in windows, front yards, and businesses. We like to think we made a little difference.

In the spirit of OBEY we have a few of these posters left over from the campaign and there is no need to have them postered on the streets anymore so we would like to offer them to you. The proceeds of these posters will be going to the ACLU. These posters are signed by Shepard and are $40. We only have a limited quantity left so when they go, they will be gone.

-OBEY (November 10, 2008)

TO THE WIRE

As we start looking toward the weekend… We are days away from the most important political event young people will most likely witness in their lifetime. And as the world changes, our country, too, is faced with the decision to move forward or stay in the past. For the next couple of days you will be continuously exposed to links, videos, and literature (on OBEYGIANT.com) that will help you decide which road our country should travel. We at OBEY believe in change and we hope you do to…

Check out this short film created by one of the animators of the Simpsons. http://whyobamafilm.org/
This or that… you may remember this classic, now revisited with an OBAMA twist. See video HERE
New Obama “VOTE” Print by Shepard Fairey, Only Available at BarackObama.com Purchase Print HERE

-Shepard (October 30, 2008)

MAD HISTORY

Check out this link to a plethora of parodies of my Obama HOPE poster. I’m very happy that the HOPE poster has become such a point of reference. One parody that is not included is something I consider a high point in my career for pop culture recognition. Mad Magazine’s new cover is a spoof of my Obama image. I loved Mad as a kid. I think Mad’s satire heightened my understanding of irony and hypocrisy. I’m very excited to be a part of Mad’s history.
-Shepard

http://www.posterpage.ch/exhib/ex216oba/ex216oba.htm (October ?, 2009)

“I wanted to make an art piece of Barack Obama because I thought an iconic portrait of him could symbolize and amplify the importance of his mission. I believe Obama will guide this country to a future where everyone can thrive and I should support him vigorously for the sake of my two young daughters. I have made art opposing the Iraq war for several years, and making art of Obama, who opposed the war from the start, is like making art for peace. I know I have an audience of young art fans and I’m delighted if I can encourage them to see the merits of Barack Obama.” -Shepard Fairey (March 3, 2009)

THANK YOU, FROM BARACK OBAMA!

Check it out! I got a thank you note from Barack Obama. If he is elected, maybe I have a get out of jail free card. All kidding aside, I’m honored to be acknowledged by someone so important to the future of our country. Also, the Obama campaign asked me to do a poster illustration for sale on their site. It should be out next week on barackobama.com.

-Shepard (February 22, 2009)

At some point, this lovely machine was created by Paste Magazine to “Obamicon” pictures. Take a peek there for about a billion trillion ironic satiricalizations.

OBAMA BOOTLEG TEE

I did not design this shirt. I saw it in an ad in the back of Rolling Stone and contacted the company to see if they were donating any of the proceeds to Obama’s campaign. They are, so if you dig an Obey/Obama mashup you can get it at moewampum.com.

-Shepard (May 6, 2008)

OBAMA PHILLY

Sales of the Obama T-shirts through Upper Playground funded these bus shelter ads in Philly. You might be saying… “supporting a political candidate, paying for ads, what is Obey thinking?” Well, we’re thinking that helping to put Obama in office is one of the most subversive things we could be doing. To see for yourself, check out his policies at barackobama.com

-Shepard (April 1, 2008)

If you missed out on getting the hope and progress posters, you can still help out the obama campaign by printing out your own obama paster here. -OBEY (March 2, 2009)

UPDATE: Thanks for all those who bought the print in support of OBEY and OBAMA. Unfortunately, the print is sold out and we do not plan on producing another edition. The edition was released earlier today with great response. The PROGRESS screenprint was exclusively available through OBEY and the HOPE offset print will be distributed by the OBAMA Camp as an awareness campaign. (February 3, 2008)

I believe with great conviction that Barack Obama should be the next President. I have been paying close attention to him since the Democratic convention in 2004. I feel that he is more a statesman than a politician. He was against the war when it was an unpopular position (and Hillary was for the war at that time), Obama is for energy and environmental conservation. He is for healthcare reform. Check him out for yourself www.barackobama.com. Proceeds from this print go to produce prints for a large statewide poster campaign.

Thanks.

-Shepard (January 30, 2008

Thanks to the fine folks at TheGiant.org for basically ALL of the statistical information on the prints:

Obama BE THE CHANGE
Year: 2009
Run Size: 1000
Part of Set: none
Size: 24×36
Paper: unknown
Print Type: screen print
Release Date: 01/07/2009

HOPE (offset THIN)
Year: 2008
Run Size: unknown
Part of Set: none
Size: 24×36
Paper: Thin Stock
Print Type: Offset Lithograph
Release Date: 11/10/2008

Obama VOTE (small)
Year: 2008
Run Size: 5000
Part of Set: none
Size: 18×24
Paper: Thin Stock
Print Type: offset
Release Date: 11/17/2008

Obama VOTE
Year: 2008
Run Size: 5000
Part of Set: none
Size: 26×40
Paper: Thick Stock (white)
Print Type: offset
Release Date: 10/30/2008

Obama CHANGE
Year: 2008
Run Size: 5000
Part of Set: none
Size: 24×36
Paper: Thick Stock
Print Type: screen print
Release Date: 03/12/2008

HOPE (offset THICK)
Year: 2008
Run Size: 600
Part of Set: none
Size: 24×36
Paper: Thick Stock
Print Type: Offset Lithograph
Release Date: 02/24/2008

Progress (Small)
Year: 2008
Run Size: 400
Part of Set: none
Size: 9×12
Paper: Thick Stock
Print Type: Screen Print
Release Date: 04/02/2008

Progress (Large)
Year: 2008
Run Size: 350
Part of Set: none
Size: 24×36
Paper: Thick Stock
Print Type: Screen Print
Release Date: 01/30/2008

This post is posted in the World Famous Design Junkies idenity category because more than anything other than that Obama “o”, Shepard Fairey’s image defined this 2008 election. Obama HOPE was Shepard Fairey and thousands and thousands of voters holding up his poster. Behold a graphic movement from the hand of a graffiti artist.