Task 2

 

The Obama hope posters were created by graphic artist Sheperd Fairey. He anitally made it for his selling prints and when this kicked off massively and went viral Obama wanted to use them for his own campaign in 2008 using the words “Hope’ and “progress” and removing the “Obey” logo. So the originals are not molded to fit with the Obama campaign thus changing the meaning and aim of the posters “Artistic production begins with ceremonial objects destined to serve in a cult.” W. Benjamin (1936). It became the iconic symbol of the Obama campaign and this saw a few variations of poster made during it’s the 2008 elections. Due to the success of this propaganda it saw other variations been created and using the now powerful iconic imagery and wording. “Lithography enabled graphic art to illustrate everyday life, and it began to keep pace with printing.” Walter Benjamin (1936)

The posters we initially screen printed as there way of reproduction so a high quality process which was then stopped and reproduced most likely Litho printed to created them quicker and at a lower cost. This takes value away from the original “The work of art in the age of mechanical reproduction” W. Benjamin (1936).

Aside form the original been changed to serve a different purpose there was ‘Spoofs’ made such as the one with George Bush with the word ‘Dope’ instead of “hope” Thus been used for the same reason to ollect Obama for president but taking the opposite angel and instead of promoting it moks thus “human sense perception changes” and altering the meaning of the original. There is even a template of the original poster making it accessible and alterable to all. This is almost saying this poster is the key to success rather than Obama himself. Which I think is a really interesting way to look at it.