I'm a hardcore Obama supporter but I do think this iconography and other excessive hero-worship is going to eventually backfire. That Obama will to whatever degree let us down is inevitable (to some degree he's already done it by refusing to stand up against the FISA compromise) and this kind of canonization will only make the disappointment worse and the right wing jackals more shrill.
Frankly I imagine that Limbaugh/O'Rielly/Hannity etc all really, really want Obama in office so that they can have a truly high profile target again, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid weren't really much fun for them.
Whether we have iconography like this or not, there will inevitably be a let down when more and more people realize Obama isn't a miracle worker and that he doesn't solely represent their own personal views on every single issue. It happens with almost every successful presidential candidate.
That said, I think the Obama imaging going on is very creative and powerful not because it's communicating about Obama per se, but because it's communicating what's inside people's creative subconciousness about their hopes and dreams and desires.
My dream is that we can harness some of that creative energy to keep pushing all politicos for progressive change before and AFTER November 4th. There's a real wellspring of energy out there in people's souls and I hope it can be channeled constructively.
Nicely put, Barb!
There's a difference between hero worship and political iconography. Sometimes they feed on each other, but they aren't co-dependent.
As for shirts, obama, and iconography, I created a website called "Obamosaic"--an interactive website of over 200 Obama t-shirts (http://www.obamosaic.com).
I think it's political artwork of the man without being hero worship.
That image is incredible, Ben -- great work!
I was impressed with the poster these young kids are holding in the NY Times article about them taking his middle name (???):
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/2.../
29hussein.html
Images are powerful, for sure. My writer friend Daniel Abraham used to say you can't say no to an image before it's already slipped into your head!
5 million on the mall on 1.21.09! A replay of the Battle of Seattle.
Demands for the new global economy
- no preemptive war
- new deal on global economy
- save the environment
- relevant, equitable education for every child in the world
That would be so awesome.
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