One of the cool things about this election year has been all the creative design and inspired art that has surrounded the Obama campaign. Starting with the small design firm he hired early on to do the logo. But what I am talking about is more the way that this candidate has inspired street artists like Shepard Fairey and how he in turn has challenged other artists to step up.
In Denver and online, Fairey started a contest and had a gallery show called Manifest Hope. Artists from around the world submitted work, there were judges and winners and all of that but the best part was just to see the work and make the arts an integral part of the convention experience.
It worked. There was art everywhere, in the gallery itself and on the streets of the mile high city.
One of the artists I saw promoted through the blogging about the Manifest Hope project (he didn't seem to be an actual contestant- at least his work is not displayed in the online gallery...) was Dustin Parker.
Dustin has done a lot of political pieces but the two recent ones centering around our choice in the 2008 election are the one at the top of this piece and this one; 
I like his work, a bit illustration-like but it also has terrific texture and composition. (though he was minimalistic on the ears...guess he was trying to avoid making it feel like a cartoon reference)
Parker's done a lot of other work, some very interesting pieces with Lincoln as the central figure. And his blog, that discusses process, is fun in an digital art-geek sort of way.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Dustin Parker, Manifesting Hope
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Art as Hope as Political Access
(Poster by Shepard Fairey)
Art as Hope as Political Access
There are less than two days left of bidding on one of the three original Obama Hope collages created by Shepard Fairey. The bidding is up to $108,000 at Lot #: 79609 in the Art for Life Auction run by the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation. Proceeds from the sale will go not to the Obama effort (though other auctions currently being held by Shepard Fairey are for the campaign), but instead to furthering arts access for street youth.
To quote their website, "Founded in 1995 by brothers Russell, Danny and Joseph 'Rev. Run' Simmons, Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation is dedicated to providing disadvantaged urban youth with significant exposure and access to the arts, as well as providing exhibition opportunities to under-represented artists and artists of color."
"Obama Hope, 2008" is mixed media stencil collage on cotton rag paper. The bio for its creator reads:
"Born in Charleston, South Carolina in 1970, Shepard Fairey is a contemporary artist, graphic designer and illustrator. Fairey graduated from Rhode Island School of Design in 1992 with a B.A. in illustration. He is most recognized as emerging from the skateboarding scene and became most notably known for his 'André the Giant Has a Posse' sticker campaign and 'OBEY' street art movement. Since 1989, Shepard has consistently produced a wide range of artwork from screenprints, mix media stencil collage, to 15 foot mural installations. In 2007, Shepard embarked on a pivotal year with producing 3 major solo exhibitions in New York City, London, and Los Angeles. All 3 exhibitions sold out with a showing of over a 100 pieces of art in each exhibition.
"Recently, Fairey has created a series of posters supporting Barack Obama's candidacy for President in 2008 which led a massive grassroots street awareness campaign. Fairey's 'PROGRESS', 'HOPE', and 'CHANGE' posters have created a huge impact in the visibility of the Obama Campaign, in which Senator Obama, himself, personally thanked Fairey for making this art. Since then he created an exclusive design for Rock the Vote, and sits on the advisory board of Reaching to Embrace the Arts, a not-for-profit organization that provides art supplies to disadvantaged schools and students. Shepard Fairey currently resides in Los Angeles, California."
