As a voter, I am happy (and filled with anxiety) that Election Day is almost here, but I have to admit that as a Printeresting contributor, my feelings are mixed. After all, it’s not every year that print is so integral to the discourse of the nation. Looking back over the last few months, there have been more than a dozen posts on Printeresting related to the election. From Shepard Fairey’s original Obama Progress poster to the anti-Palin street graphics, this year has been filled with newsworthy uses of print media. On the weekend before the election, a link recap seemed appropriate. Starting with the earliest…
“I Got a Crush… on Obama’s Poster”
“I Got a Crush… on Obama’s Poster” Part II
“I Got a Crush… on Obama’s Poster” Part III
Message Control: Poster Politics
Obamagraphics in the News… Again
Obama Force One and Other Sneaker Projects
Obamagraphics: Lo-Tech, Hi-Awesome
Printeresting: Your Source For Round-the-Clock Coverage of Politics & Printmaking
Anti-Palin Street Graphics Abound
More Limited Edition Campaign Merch
…and ending with the most recent. So from posters and pumpkins to cereal and sneakers… where it goes from here is anybody’s guess.
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Excellent Round-Up; I’m very happy to have this post for one-stop shopping. I have a feeling that the impact of all this election printin’ won’t be fully evident for a few years. Especially that Fairey poster, it’s clearly the most meaningful work of his career thus far, and may ultimately prove to be his most enduring.
We don’t have a great culture of political street graphics in the modern U.S., as other countries do. This year may have been a one-shot response to a candidate of great historical importance, but it also may have transformed our election culture. Time will tell.
Regardless of the long-term impact, it’s clear that Internet distribution, mass customization, and desktop publishing have played an enormous role. The collision of these newer technologies with print media has been a boon to our visual culture, especially in the context of this exciting election.
I couldn’t agree more about the Fairey poster. The right artist at the right place and time. I can’t imagine how this wouldn’t be the most important work of his career. “Andre the Giant Has a Posse” was prolific but in terms of potential cultural impact, it can’t hold a candle to the Obama poster.