Abraham Obama: A Guerilla Tour Through Art and Politics [Paperback]

Don Goede (Author, Editor), Ron English (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2009

Abraham Obama is an image melding the faces of Abraham Lincoln and Barack Obama. It was originally a painting by world reknown artist Ron English and fast became one of the most recognizable icons indirectly involved with the Barack Obama campaign for president. It is the subject of a documentary of the same title. It has been featured on CNN, NPR, and distributed world-wide on the internet. It even has its own song called The Obama Song. The Abraham Obama image becomes the center of a image tour when a crew of merry pranksters (Ron English, Daniel Lahoda, Don Goede (as Jack Medicine) put up as many pasters, stickers, and posters of the image in as many places as physically possible in each city they pass through. They are followed everywhere they go by a camera crew (director Kevin Chapados and director of photography Chunwoo Kae). This visual documentary explores the adventure of Ron English s image Abraham Obama and all it encounters on a national and world tour leading up to, during, and after the 2008 presidential election. It begins in Boston and picks up steam in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and takes time at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado. The crew disbands and all continue with the image in their respective cities. It captures the attention of the public, the media, celebrities, and people of all walks of life stopping only for this book. The last chapter finds the image on tour in Hong Kong and The Phillippines. The connections between Lincoln and Obama grow even more now making the image not only iconic but relevant as Obama prepares for his first term. All major news sources are making parrallels between the two political figures.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Don Goede is primarily an art director, curator, and publisher. He was one of the original co-founders of Soft Skull Press in NYC and creator of the art imprint, gallery, & bookstore Soft Skull Shortwave. His most successful books have been Popaganda: The Art & Subversion of Ron English, Hi, How Are You? The Life & Art of Daniel Johnston, and Painful But Fabulous: The Lives & Art of Genesis P-Orridge (founder of Throbbing Gristle, Coum Transmissions and Psychic TV) He is an avid art collector and advocate for the arts & culture in Colorado but spends a lot of time between Los Angeles and NYC

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Last Gasp of San Francisco; Original edition (November 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0867197226
• ISBN-13: 978-0867197228
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,989,766 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Being a part of the adventure, February 16, 2010

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kOWtOWeR (Cole Slaw) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Abraham Obama: A Guerilla Tour Through Art and Politics (Paperback)

This photo-filled journal follows Ron English and his cohorts on an adventure of poster pasting mayhem. They travel through major cities (and Colorado Springs?) splashing images of Ron English's "Abraham Obama" painting on any available surface. Shepard Fairey, Mr. Brainwash and Morgan Spurlock are also featured. A DVD of these adventures was also released and is quite an amusing watch.