Thank Portrait for Obama's Success: Hope Artist

The iconic Hope image of Barack Obama helped get the Illinois senator elected president, says the graphic designer who created the image. “It has exceeded my expectations almost from the get-go,” Shepard Fairey told Smithsonian magazine, adding that Obama’s “unique” look was an inspiration for him and the public. “That it’s not just another 65-year-old white guy helps.”

The Los Angeles-based artist wanted to “transcend the limitations of a photograph,” and Obama was impressed with the results. “Wow, I love this image,” he told Fairey. The artist initially made only 700 prints, but the images soon adorned buildings and cars nationwide. “Now there are some people looking at art as a valuable tool that never did in the past,” he said.
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