HOPE

An artist we discussed in great depth today was Frank Fairey who was an American contemporary artist, and illustrator who came on right from the skateboarding scene. Frank was widely known for his sticker campaign his first “Andre the Giant Has a Posse”, is in large part how he was discovered. His most famous work was widely known for his 2008 U.S. presidential election posters creating a Barack Obama hope poster. Frank is known now as one of the most effective street artist today. His work can be found in collections at many famous museums such as The Smithsonian, the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Fairey wanted to leave a mark on the world he just did not know how he was going to do that. Franks thought up of an idea for a sticker for the Presidential race. He made a series of posters supporting Obama 2008 candidacy for President of the United States.  Franks created a sticker with Barack Obama’s face with the word Hope under him. This sticker was said to be on the most popular American political illustrations since the Uncle Sam poster. Fairey also created a Rock the Vote sticker to try to encourage people to go out and vote.  Although not in direct connection with the campaign Fairey was asked to change the sticker from the words progress to hope to go more towards Obama’s ideas. Frank made 300,000 stickers and 500,000 posters all the money he collected from these went right back in to making more works of art.  Fairey got a letter from Obama in 2008 thanking him for his support and help to further his campaign. This just shows you sometimes helping people out in life helps you out in the long run.

 

- CONNER-