ManifestHope:DC

HIS POSTER, American Worker, was selected for the ManifestHope:DC exhibition, a high-profile gallery event which was part of the festivities commemorating the inauguration of Barack Obama. Depicting a worker on a steel beam against a blue field, and accompanied by a quote by Abraham Lincoln, the artwork addresses the role workers play in building the American dream and the need to continue valuing those workers.



American Worker, was one of 15 works of art selected from more than 1000 submissions in a juried competition whose aim was to illustrate one of three themes: Health Care Reform, Workers' Rights, and The Green Economy. The winning pieces, selected by a panel of eight high-profile jurors*, were chosen not only for artistic merit, impact, and originality, but for achieving the goal of using positive messaging to convey the urgency and importance of those three key issues. These 15 works of art joined more than 100 others to form the exhibition, ManifestHope:DC.

ManifestHope celebrates the role that art and artists have played in the national grass-roots movement that carried Barack Obama to the presidency. It gathers together a diverse array of the nation's most talented visual artists under one roof to mark this monumental achievement in our nation's history and encourages artists and activists to maintain the momentum to bring about true change in the United States.

ManifestHope:DC, working with Shepard Fairey's Obey Giant group, MoveOn.org and EMG (Evolutionary Media Group), represents a visual call-to-action, encouraging a focusing of public energy on true reform in three key areas: Health Care, Workers' Rights and The Green Economy.

Manifest Hope: DC was on display for the three days preceding the Inauguration. The ManifestHope:DC gallery, managed by DC's Irvine Contemporary, was in the heart of historic Georgetown, one block from Key Bridge. An estimated 15,000 people visited the gallery, including many celebrities, from musicians Michael Stipe and Moby to actor Tim Robbins and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Manifest Hope:DC was a historic inaugural event to match this extraordinary moment in our nation's history.

ManifestHope features the work of more than 100 artists, including Aaron Foster, Aaron Axelrod, Aaron Allen, Amy Martin, Andrew Bannecker, Andy Howell, Andy Powell, APAK, Bask, Billi Kid, Billy Colbert, Blue Lucy, BLACKBOOKS, Brian McCarty, Casey Ryder, Chad Mize, Charlie Becker, Chris Stain, Chris Pastras, Christopher Tucker, Damon Locks, Dan Monick, Dan Funderburgh, David Choe, Decoy, Deroy Peraza, Derek Gores, Eddie, El MAC, Erneston Yerena, Esperanza Macias, Estevan Oriol, Felix Jackson Jr., Frederic Terral, George Vlosich, Ginger Che, Guillermo Bert, HAZE, Herb Williams, House Industries, HVW8, Ian Simmons, James Widener, Jason Hardy, Jason Dietrick, Jermaine Rogers, JK5, Johnathan Stein, Jon Wippich, Jorge Arrieta, Jovi Schnell, Jude Buffum, Judy North, Julie Adler, Julianne Walther, Justin Hampton, Justin Kemerling, Justin ÒDemoÓ Fines, Karen Wippich, Karla Mickens, Kate Crosgrove, Katherine Kendall, KDU, Keetra Dean Dixon, Kelly Towles, Kenji Hirata, Kofie, Kwaku Alston, Larissa Marantz, Lichiban, Lisa Marie Thalhammer, Luba Lukova, Lukas Ketner, Marc Petrovic, Margaret Coble, Margaret Cusack, Mark Jenkins, Mason Fetzer, Maya Hayuk, Mel Kadel, Michael Cuffe, Michael Glenwood Gibbs, Mike Murphy, Mike Jacob, Mike Pare, Mike Perry, Mingering Mike, Munk One, Nick Dewar, One9, Patrick Martinez, Paul Roden & Valerie Lueth, Rafael Lopez, Ray Noland, Regan Rosburg, Robert Indiana, Robbie Conal, Ron English, Rostarr, Sage Vaughn, Sam Flores, Sarah Hoskins, Scot LeFavor, Scotlund Haisley, Scott Hansen, Scott Siedman, Sebastian Martorana, Shannon Moore, Sharee Taylor, Shel Starkman, Shepard Fairey, Sol Sender, Stenzskull, Tanya Mikaela, Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, Tes One, The Protist, Tim Conlon, Tim Tate, Tina Rodas, Tom Slaughter, Travis Lampe, Travis Millard, Trish Moreno, Tristan Eaton, Van Taylor Monroe, Yvonne Boogaerts and Zoltron.

*The jurors included Anne Ellegood, Curator of Contemporary Art at Hirshhorn Museum, Shepard Fairey, Spike Lee, Laura Dawn (an artist as well as MoveOn.org's Creative & Cultural Director), Eric Hilton of Thievery Corporation, author/activist Van Jones, artist Robbie Conal, and David Rolf of ManifestHope:DC co-sponsor SEIU.

For some pictures I took at the gallery, click here.

More artwork by Michael Glenwood can be seen on his website, www.mglenwood.com.

More artwork by Michael Gibbs can be seen on his website, www.michaelgibbs.com