POSTER REVIEW - HOPE

 

"WE ARE THE CHANGE THAT WE SEEK"

Based on the poster, I assume this is about "Hope" that some people put to someone that can make a huge impact to world or change people perspective about something. I can see that Barrack Obama is the main reason why the poster was made. The poster which has become a symbol in 2008 Election Campaign. The image showing Barrack Obama is focusing sharply into distance or been thinking deeply into something. The colour paint of the poster also assemble the flag of United State of America which is blue, red and white. 

The poster was made by Shepard Fairey which is one of the follower Barrack Obama. I think he made the poster because he think that Barrack Obama can bring a huge impact to the country if he win the election in 2008 and become president. All began when Obama held a speech in 2004 about uniting America and creating opportunities to everyone to prosper. Fairey noticed that he share the same political view and decide to fully support him. So with the help from his friend Yosi Sergant , who got it all going, because he had contacts to the people from the Obama campaign, Fairey got permission two weeks before Super Tuesday to contribute a illustration. He came up with the iconic Obama poster. I think he choose this picture because it look like he expressing himself confidently that he can guide the people of United State into a bright future. Furthermore, it is interesting to see that Fairey, not even a bit strive the point that Barack Hussein Obama could be the first African-American President of the United States of America, by making a appropriation art image that is showing Obamas skin color, but Fairey abstained, instead he shares the same ideals that Obama shared through his speeches ”that everyone is created equal, and is equally entitled to life”

All in all, the image that Shepard Fairey made was perfect example to show how powerful Barrack Obama can be since he have the ability to influence people just by giving speech and monologue. There are also people that critique the artwork because the word "HOPE" reminded them of George Orwell’s “1984” and Big Brother and in the Los Angeles Times Meghan Daum sees the image as a half-artsy, half-creepy genuflection that suggests the subject is a Third World dictator whose rule is enmeshed in a seductive cult of personality a controversial American figure who’s been assassinated or one of those people from a Warhol silkscreen that you don’t recognize but assume to be important in an abstruse way. 

It is to say that the success is caused by the millions of supporters that were hungry for a new, fresh way of showing their support. And with the medium internet, it has found the perfect environment, especially for the younger generation, to expand promptly. Of course the Democratic Party maintained the poster, after a short period of time, where they analyzed the image. Fairey did what every fan of the future president would have done, he tried to illustrate the positive characteristics of Obama, also concentrating on the history of the land, that the overall aim should be a united America.

In my conclusion, Obamas 2008 electoral campaign poster is the best poster I ever seen in my life. It gradually interpretating several aspects of the image, while contributing background information on the artwork itself, the development and most importantly the meaning behind the work. Shepard Fairey has made an excellent job creating that iconic poster with combined the political massages and his point of view of Obama. I hope that I will see more of unique poster that will make people amaze by it.