Manifest Hope

The Obama campaign is surrounded by a grass roots movement that organizes meetings and funnels small donations in a way that we haven't seen before. There is another component to Obama support that has sprung up on the streets--on abandoned buildings, highway overpasses, and brick walls--it's street art or graffiti.

These rebel artists, usually operating far outside of the system, are supporting the idea of hope with homemade posters and stickers, and with spray-painted drawings that appear all over the urban landscape.

MoveOn.org held a contest among these artists and there will be a public gallery displaying the winners during the Democratic Convention in Denver. Here is what they have to say about their show:

Art plays a pivotal role in creating cultural momentum. The Manifest Hope Gallery celebrates that role and shines a spotlight on artists across the nation who use their voices to amplify and motivate the grass roots movement surrounding the Obama Campaign. The Manifest Hope Gallery highlights the central themes of the progressive grass-roots movement- Hope Change, Progress, Unity and Patriotism.

The Manifest Hope Gallery will be open to the public in Denver, CO at the Democratic National Convention, between Monday August 25th, 2008 through Thursday, August 28th, 2008 between the hours of 10:00 am - 5:00 pm.

The Manifest Hope Gallery, housed within Denver's Andenken Gallery, and an additional transformed warehouse space, spans 10,000 sq. ft. and will draw together a works as varied as the voices of the artists who created them.

Manifest Hope will showcase some of the finest modern contemporary artists, acclaimed NY painters and sculptors, activated grass roots and street artists, and present the most widely recognized pieces seen throughout the 2008 presidential primary campaign, as well as newly commissioned works and previous works on loan from some of the United States top artists.

Manifest Hope, along with its online partner MoveOn.org, challenges the artistic world to engage their local communities in a significant and meaningful way, by inviting all artists to compete for a chance to present their works alongside these acclaimed and celebrated artists. Visit the online gallery for details.

Read more about the street art movement for Obama:
Graffiti Art Takes Presidential Race to the Streets