Book Review: Art for Obama

Art for Obama, edited by Jennifer Gross & the infamous Shepard Fairy (whose iconic Obama image is still the focus of a court battle), is an excellent overview of some of the amazing art that was created in support of the Obama campaign for president. Say what you will about what's happened since the election, the fact remains that it was an historic election on many levels, not the least of which was how this candidate was supported by the art community (and vice versa). Just the fact that the work of a graffiti artist (who had already been arrested many times) was the centerpiece of the campaign says a lot about how remarkably different this was than the elections of the recent past. The book not only showcases the well-known posters, but also art that was created specifically for the Manifest Hope exhibitions co-organized by MoveOn.org. The range and quality of art is truly impressive and at the same time it's overwhelming to see how intensely people's hopes and dreams were invested in one man. Looking back it's hard not to see that people would be disappointed no matter what happened after the election was over. There's no way one person could live up to such expectations, but at the same time the book is a great reminder of what could be made a reality when the general public actually felt like they had a chance to have their voices heard.

Ask for it at your local independent bookstore.

Art for Obama
Abrams
$22.50