Official Inauguration Poster Released By Obama Team: Exclusive

The Barack Obama Inaugural Committee is releasing an official inauguration poster playing off past themes and marking the history of January 20th in a uniquely Obama fashion.

Designed by famed street artist Shepard Fairey, the print, created especially for the 2009 Inauguration, boldly declares "BE THE CHANGE."

It is the next step in the branding of the presidency -- a development that is not unique to Obama but one that he has used better than any other politician in recent memory.

Fairey's initial design -- a guerrilla style, dark-colored portrait of the then-candidate -- proved to be a political and cultural phenomenon during the campaign. The current edition plays heavily off those themes and it seems likely to be a major symbol during the inauguration festivities. The image will be available on buttons, lapel pins, stickers and t-shirts.

The poster will officially be released tomorrow on the Inaugural Committee's online store.

Comments

[blimie]

I like the poster and I'd like to get one. Maybe the Obama years will reinvigorate the arts. This is so exciting.

[americanalien]

I love it too.

[HappyIdiot2008]

I'm not a fan of abstract art. But, it doesn't matter really. After all. Barack Obama was elected and that is fact. This is just a distraction.

[StopThePress]

Actually this is not really abstract art. This is more of a "propaganda" inspired poster.

[MizK]

Not necessarily abstract art--it's called "vector" art.

[Ex-Democrat]

Maybe he should put Rezko, Blago and Wright in the picture too.

[PhilipTaylor]

How about Rove, Libby, and Cheney!

[ChiGuy]

Why, Einstein?

[BannedInBoston]

I have the same problem with the graphic color scheme of the poster as I had with Time's Man of the Year cover picture of Obama. I know the red and blue are supposed to symbolize the bipartisan character of the Obama Presidency. But does the red suggest to anyone else bl.ood running down the left side of Obama's head? I know this sounds grisly and I know the red is supposed to be purely symbolic, etc., etc., etc., but I still think these awful thoughts whenever I look at that picture....

[Sabreen60]

No it doesn't look like bl00d. Geez

[BannedInBoston]

It does to me, especially since I have serious worries about Obama's safety....

[karinova]

I'm sorry, but this is just not nice to look at.

- There's not nearly enough white in this poster. There's no air.
- The colors are all "off." Desaturated, muddy, depressing. Maybe it's just my monitor.
- Why are the stars in the seal red? It's... disorienting.
- What is up with those stripes? They don't say "USA." Too much red, not enough white.
- The downward-pointing chevron formed by the stripes is... a drag.
- The inaugural seal is huge, and I don't like the triangular void it's sitting on.

Also, I don't like the way the red/blue background aligns with the red/blue in the face. What, is Obama being "lit" by the crazy background? I think not. Better effect if the background was flipped. Better still if it were one color.

[bigislandbarb]

dude, you got cabin fever? You might want to get a high watt bulb or two.

[Ex-Democrat]

Bush STOLE it in 2000.

Obama BOUGHT it in 2008.

Another CROOK in the White House....IDIOTS!

[BannedInBoston]

Obama didn't buy the 2008 election. WE, the American people, bought it FOR him. Bought and paid for and worth every penny!

[Ex-Democrat]

I guess you like crooked politicians denying Americans their right to vote.

[StonedThrower]

Maybe we should wait a bit before we declare it worth every penny. He's real good at getting elected, making speeches, and witty little posters; we'll see how he is at running the country. Time will tell, the rest is speculation.

[Sabreen60]

Move !

[Ex-Democrat]

Love it or Leave it??? You sound like a NIxon fan...oh that's right you are...Obama IS the Dem's Nixon.

Another CROOK.

[StopThePress]

Yeah, and the ones who aren't crooks get laughed at. Let me guess.....you wanted Ron Paul to be on the ticket?

[stevi]

Please explain exactly how the Presidency was purchased.

[Ex-Democrat]

Lied about accepting public financing.

You think you won, but guess what, what comes around goes around. You want corruption, blocked votes, and money to determine our elected officials???

Well I'm sure Republicans can play that game well too.

You screwed our democracy.

The Democratic Party is DEAD.

[Linda31]

If Obama bought it, then we the American people GAVE him the money to purchase it. Doesn't seem crooked to me.

Stop calling yourself an idiot, its not healthy.

[pc51]

Just one photo -op after another and extreme emphasis on window dressing. That about sums Obama up.

[kellygrrrl]

and even on that stunningly superficial level, he still tromps the ReThugs
so SUKIT

[StopThePress]

I concur! lol...I mean, look at the two Conventions...the DNC looked like a rock concert, and the RNC looked like the they were at a mega church.

[Ohsnap]

I think the picture of Obama on the beach shirtless would have been better. I'd pay money for that.

[Coogabooga]

mmm, yes, nothing like a shirtless Obama to get people charged :-)

[StopThePress]

You and me both.

[tlintx]

I bet Larry Sinclair would too.

[mazzy]

I'm glad Obama won and all but he needs to CALM down. He is no Ghandi and this is way too reminiscent of Ghandi. Let's not forget that Obama hasn't actually DONE anything yet.

[Knowitall]

No he's not Ghandi, and he's never said he is. He seems very calm to me. Ghandi was Ghandi. Obama is Obama. That's all we need him to be.

[mazzy]

Yes, but "Be the Change" is reminiscent of the Gandhi quote, "You must be the Change you want to see in the world" and I just don't think Obama has actually done anything to merit that kind of praise.

[aishadl]

Lighten the F*** up. This is a proud moment in American history...and yes people want to remember it have with collateral. So what. Put your head in the sand for the next four years if you have a problem with it!

THIS IS HISTORY JERK!

[mazzy]

Right. I am the one that needs to lighten up. I'm proud Obama won. I just think he should actually do something before we start comparing him to Gandhi (correct American Spelling). Gandhi was a man who accepted all people and I'm disappointed that Obama picked Rick Warren because I don't think you can agree to disagree about civil rights. Anyway, I don't know why I responded. Your comment didn't even make sense to me.

[LogicInDC]

Gandhi*

[NoProblemPablo]

Great poster. Thanks for pricing it at $100 so those of us who gave a little here and a little there can't afford it.

[ObjectiveRealist]

You need some more hope. You'll be able to afford it, in a year or so.

[StopThePress]

I bet you could get a fake in china.

[GypsyRose]

I don't like the poster. Too reminiscent of "d.ictatorship" for me. I know that wasn't the intent, but in advertising (branding) you don't always h.it your t.arget audience no matter how clever the attempt(s).

But, anyway, why isn't Joe the Biden on the poster with Obama? The seal states "President and Vice President" and I think that would "soften" it up a bit and be more representative of the USA.

[JulieSA]

I certainly agree on the dictatorship thing.

They should put Joe's new puppies on there. Everyone likes puppies.

[GypsyRose]

Ha ha, good point!

[Dave4ObamaSinceDay1]

I also agree. Reminds me too much of Stalinist Russia

[StopThePress]

I understand what you mean about it reminding you of "dictatorship"

but you have to realize, during the era of "Propaganda" Posters, every country was doing it....not just fascists. World War I &II posters were exactly the same.

[GypsyRose]

Yes, I've seen the photos of posters from the past (and present). So, why do we even need a "poster" now? Is this not a modern day Propoganda, i.e., Branding? Like Coca Cola, Pepsi, iPod? Why? (rhetorical)

Thanks for your intelligent response. Much appreciated. Hope to engage you again.

[JulieSA]

Vero Possumus!

[LynnW49]

Oops. Poster is alright, but they left out the line that says "If you're gay and voted for change, forget about it." And the line that says"Rick Warren = Change."

[ThatOne4Me]

I second that.

[SiberianRat]

Yawn.

[ChiGuy]

Oh s h u t u p already.

What makes you and others think that you're entitled to have EVERY single, solitary demand met just because you worked, voted, or both, for Obama?

You, like so many others who voted for him, are going to find out quickly that when he said "change", he meant it. Totally.
No more partisan BS. No more kow-towing to interest groups. No more pandering for the sake of political expediency or safety.
Inclusion, NOT divisiveness will be the order of the day, even if those he includes are themselves divisive.

This won't be the last time people that supported Obama will be angry with a decision of his.
But those that do become angry didn't get his message or intent in the first place.

[StonedThrower]

Baloney. Obama's "message" was that he would fix everything for everyone -- until he won the election. Now people like you claim others "didn't get his message or intent in the first place." The truth is that Obama said what he had to in order to get elected -- like every good politician. Nothing new here, Obama's just another politician -- albiet, a good one.

[Hank007]

I love Fairy's art. He should do one with all the former presidents in Kiss make-up, similar to the one he did of Kiss, with Andre the Giant as Gene Simmons. (for you newbies, he started with pictures of Andre the Giant, with the slogan 'Obey' posted on walls in NY)

[karinova]

Actually, true OGs know the original slogan was "Andre the Giant Has a Posse."

Oh, those halcyon days...

[Chavista]

The motto should be "Beg For Change" since the U.S. economy is in the toilet and flusing fast.

[GeorgetownSCGullah]

This is cool. But if you are coming to the Inauguration, please check out the Quilts for Obama exhibit by The Group for Cultural Documentation at the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. Here's the link: http://www.tgcd.org/tgcd.cfm?a=wh&wh_a=cur

[BabsfromKansas]

I am SO there!!! Thank you!!!!!

[myangeldog1]

Babas, I'm so excited for you...I can't stand it!!!

[HeIsTheOne]

Will you be reporting on the main thread that day....if you have time?

I am not going to work. I want to see the swearing in on a full screen, not those little boxes on the computer.

Don't care about the parties, but I hope you go to all the good ones and remember all of us wishing you the best the day has to offer!

:-)

[kellygrrrl]

if you see the moving-out van, Babs, please throw a shoe for me!!!!!