CR Blog

More Obama Posters

Advertising, Graphic Design

Posted by Gavin Lucas, 26 March 2008, 16:47    Permalink    Comments (7)

Sam Flores
Pro-Obama poster by Sam Flores

CR blog readers may recall we posted up two posters designed by Shephard Fairey of Obey in support of Barack Obama earlier this year. Well, more of Barack's graphically-able supporters are rallying to the cause – thanks to a collaboration between pro-Obama volunteer group, The 008, and San Francisco store, Upper Playground.

"We at Upper Playground are pleased to announce our support of Barack Obama in 2008," Upper Playground announce on their site. "For too long we have been plagued by mediocrity and incompetence at the Executive level. As an international company, we feel that it is time to support a candidate that truly embodies the American spirit in both his campaign and his ideologies. We believe that Barack Obama is that candidate."

Since Shephard Fairey issued his Obama posters, Upper Playground raised funds by printing the images on – and selling T-shirts. This revenue has been put towards further pro-Obama activity, the most recent flurry of which sees artists Munk One and Sam Flores create portraits of Obama that have both been screenprinted in a limited edition of 200 posters, each of which is available to buy for $200 from the Upper Playground website which states that "all proceeds from sales... will go directly to creating more campaign T-shirts, posters and stickers by other artists in support of Obama's bid for President."

Munk One
"Currently, the Munk One design is being used in bus shelter and billboard advertisements throughout Philadelphia prior to the primary in Pennsylvania on April 22, 2008," say Upper Playground

Obama by Date Farmers
This poster by Date Farmers was originally commissioned by Upper Playground "to be mass-distributed on offset posters throughout Texas prior to the primary in that state." A limited run of 300 screenprints of it was made available to buy earlier this month but have now sold out

Obama by Mac
Poster by Mac which was also distributed throughout Texas before a limited edition print run was made available to buy through the Upper Playground site earlier this month. Also sold out

7 Comments

These new Barack Obama posters give the Shepard Fairey Hope & Progress posters a run for their money.

I especially like the Obama portrait in Mac's version -- I can't believe he did the contoured pattern in the face with a brush: http://008themovement.org/iframes/galleries.php

I don't recall any presidential candidate generating such a creative response from the art community, especially graffiti, underground and street artists who are, by nature, cynical of politics and politicians. It's madness, in a great way.

PS, Dear Creative Review: please monitor (edit or delete) any subsequent comments that are off-topic, i.e., remarks that are purely political and have nothing to do with the artwork. This is a visual communications blog; let's keep it that way. Thanks.
Darryl M
2008-03-27 12:17:46

Darryl M -- how exactly is it possible to extricate the content (politics) from the artwork? Furthermore are there no politics of visual communication?

To rub salt into your leechy wound; you've already commented politically on social structures.

I hope these posters are finding themselves used, and not bought by collectors of cool graphics.
PR sourcing
2008-03-27 13:27:57

"PR sourcing": Please read my comment again: I said PURELY political.

And regarding your "To rub salt into your leechy wound" quip: huh?

Thanks for reading and my favorite new poster is the graffiti-inspired one by Sam Flores.
Darryl M
2008-03-27 14:22:41

Change is the right thinking.
Jeremy Abbett
2008-04-03 20:00:14

the posters itself are nice. then its all as usual politics. "say one thing, do an other"
akrok
2008-04-15 23:14:29

I also can't think of any other presidential candidate that connected so well with artists and designers. I love this!
Obama poster
2008-05-25 02:43:08

Hello,

I made a poster out of 3 photographs I took, added text images from the web and titled it "Values".
I posted it on Flickr and I thought the image shed light on the most recent conservative negativity.

But it seems to be embraced by conservatives? Maybe because one of the photographs is of that negative Obama image posted on a lamp post on my street.
Rick
2009-09-13 00:25:55

Tell us what you think

What happens with my feedback?

What happens with my feedback?

We no longer require you to register and have a password in order to comment, simply fill in the form below. All comments are moderated so you may experience a short delay before your comment appears. CR encourages comments to be short and to the point. As a general rule, they should not run longer than the original post. Comments should show a courteous regard for the presence of other voices in the discussion. We reserve the right to edit or delete comments that do not adhere to this standard.

Share This — Social Bookmarking

Get the RSS Feed
Related subjects and keywords

Subject:

Advertising, Graphic Design

Keywords:

Poster

More like this

Articles:

POSTER

2618

Illustration Annual
Illustration Annual Following on from our highly acclaimed Annual, and Photography Annual we are launching a version
just for Illustration
Creative Handbook Battersea Sans Piggies
Just updated Michael Speke
Design & Advertising

Whether you're looking for photographers, illustrators or designers, photographic, print, commercials or casting services, Creative Handbook, published by Creative Review, has them all.