New Arrival - President Obama

New Arrival, 8x10" oil on gessobord (2009)

New Arrival seemed like the perfect painting to post today.  Just prior to President Obama's first election, LA street artist Shepard Fairey did this red, white and blue collage which became one of the memorable images of President Obama's first campaign.  The National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C., acquired "Hope" and it was hung before President Obama's  Inauguration where patrons were allowed to photograph it.  


Shortly thereafter; the controversy began when the Associated Press sued Shepard Fairey for copyright violation.  Fairey denied using an Associated Press photograph.  They produced the photograph that had appeared in the press.  Hope was an exact copy.  Fairey plead guilty to tampering with evidence and received 2-years probation & fined $25,000.  

From a New York Times 9/7/12 article by Randy Kennedy:

"When the case began in 2009, Mr. Fairey argued that his use of Associated Press imagery constituted fair use under copyright law. But the civil lawsuit was settled before that question was decided, and the two sides agreed to financial terms that were not disclosed. The parties also agreed to share the rights to make posters and merchandise bearing the “Hope” image. Mr. Fairey maintained that he had never personally profited from sales of the image, a contention The A.P. disputed."