Gift of Roz and Wally Bernheimer, Class of 1961, in honor of the transformative leadership of Christina Olsen, Class of 1956 Director, 2012–17, M.2017.13.2
In October 2008, the Democratic National Committee, in partnership with the printing studio Gemini G.E.L., informed donors of a limited-edition portfolio of new prints donated by thirteen artists. The portfolio benefitted the Obama Victory Fund, a political action committee (or PAC) formed to support the first presidential campaign of Barack Hussein Obama. For a donation, 150 donors received this extraordinary portfolio.
The set features works by an impressive roster of artists including: John Baldessari, Jonathan Borofsky, Frank Gehry, Ann Hamilton, Jasper Johns, Ellsworth Kelly, Brice Marden, Julie Mehretu, Ken Price, Ed Ruscha, Richard Serra, Susan Rothenberg, and Richard Tuttle. Their collaboration with Gemini G.E.L. on an edition of prints to benefit a presidential candidate was, in 2008, essentially unprecedented. As such, the Artists for Obama portfolio attests to the historical significance of Obama’s status as a political and cultural icon.
A special-edition serigraph by Shepard Fairey entitled Obama Hope Gold complements the Artists for Obama portfolio. The Obama Hope Gold serigraphs, which were printed by Fairey with the approval of the Democratic National Committee, were offered as an additional gift to donors of a certain giving level. The Gold serigraphs were released just after Obama’s inauguration, and are the third and final edition of Fairey’s enormously popular Hope prints of the president.
