Meet the artists bringing the Obama Presidential Center to life

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When the Obama Presidential Center opens in June, original works of art from over two dozen world-renowned artists will greet visitors throughout the campus–from the branch of the Chicago Public Library to the Museum–and reinforce the idea that vibrant free expression is a central part of democratic culture. 

This week we added five incredible commissions to the roster of free, public art from artists Mark Bradford, Tyanna J. Buie, Jay Heikes, Carrie Mae Weems, and a collaboration between Sam Kirk and Dorian Sylvain.

Here’s a preview of their commissions: 

• Mark Bradford’s City of the Big Shoulders is a monumental wall installation that maps Chicago through Bradford’s signature layered abstraction.
• Tyanna Buie’s Be the Change! is a large-scale installation featuring screen-printed imagery and hand-applied ink inspired by materials from President Obama’s election.
• Jay Heikes’s Quintessence is a constellation of seven-pointed bronze stars that reflects the complexity of American identity.
• Sam Kirk & Dorian Sylvain’s Pass It Forward is a collaborative mural in Home Court, the Center’s athletic and programs facility, that celebrates the cultural legacies of Chicago’s South Side.
• Carrie Mae Weems’s The Cool Blue Wind is a photographic collage with images referencing President Obama’s historic win and the freedom found in the organized improvisational nature of jazz.

These artists join an impressive group of creatives that will help make the Obama Presidential Center a dynamic and accessible cultural hub. Check out some of their work:

The commissioned art—in addition to programming that includes performances, workshops, and talks—carry forward President and Mrs. Obama’s belief that the arts have the power to bring people together and bridge differences. 

–The Obama Foundation