“Hope Is Fading Fast”: A Devastating Take on The Iconic Obama Poster

by Rachel Sklar | 2:13 am, November 24th, 2009

» 21 comments

Obma Hope Shirt A new offensive has been launched against President Obama, and if it catches on it may make as much noise as a Birther at a Town Hall. It’s the new “Hope Is Fading Fast” t-shirt from LA streetwear company Freshjive — a sad, disappointed take on the iconic “HOPE” poster by Shepard Fairey. Here’s how FreshJive describes it on its website:

Pre-releasing on Black Friday is the t shirt design, “Hope is Fading Fast”. This is actually the first item releasing without the Freshjive brand name on it. Read the recent post on the World’s Got Problems blog regarding how the Obama administration is maintaining continuity with its disgraced predecessor.

Ouch. FreshJive founder Rick Klotz is well-known locally as both a streetwear pioneer as well as a provocateur (he was protested, for example, by the Jewish Defense League with two controversial Palestinian-themed shirts last June). This shirt will probably cause a more conflicted reaction as Democrats debate whether it’s fair or unfair, and Republicans will probably love it. What makes this image significant, of course, is that it comes from the left: In October 2007 Klotz said, “Really in the end what drives me is making that one t-shirt that says ‘Fuck off, Bush.’” Two years later, he seems to be sending Obama pretty much the same message.

Here is FreshJive’s list of grievances against Obama, here is Politifact’s “Obameter” to track campaign promises, and here is a bigger version of the shirt:
Obama Hope is Fading

Freshjive Calls Out Obama [URB]

Fairey, obama, Obama "Hope Is Fading Fast", Obama FreshJive, Obama Health Care, Obama hope fading, Obama Shepard Fairey, Raymond Roker, shepard fairey, URB

http://glassbead.info Magister

I guess t-shirts are a form of “media”, but are they “online” or “print”?
germ

They are whatever these clowns at Mediaite want them to be to push their agenda.
TfT

Is this kind of like the dueling (ha) books: Going Rogue versus Going Rouge???
MartiniShark

I would like to know exactly what is “unfair” about this. It is social commentary but I do not see any kind of swipe that is out of bounds or in poor taste.
hkyplayer

I got to get one!
Rachel Sklar

T-shirts are def media: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/15.03/snackculture.html#six
http://glassbead.info Magister

@Rachel: I agree that conceptually t-shirts are a form of media as are bumper stickers, buttons and answering machines for that matter. I’m not sure if they’re “print” or whether they’re more “wearable”, but I just wanted to give you a nudge and the “online” categorization gave me a polite way to do it.

Otherwise and while we’re on the subject of wearable and online media, CNN.com used to offer t-shirts with selected headlines, but the links seemed to have disappeared with the last site redesign, if they hadn’t before.

I wonder how much money they made from that endeavor?
Sunnyr

This is a GREAT Tee Shirt and I want to buy one and wear it to every function from now until this dope is GONE!
ConnieM

@Sunnyr: Better stock up on them, you will have 7 more years to wear them to all your “Media Events”.
m

lol, I love how you guys hate Obama so much that you’re willing to wear a leftist t-shirt.
botha

nice one.
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joe345

That’s sometimes the problem with such an iconic image used for positivity. It can have just as much power if turned around and used for a negative cause.

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Well, In my opinion, this was always going to come. During the campaign, some of us got worried about the rock star fanfare about Obama. The American people were not made to appreciate that things were not going to be smooth sailing.

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Well, I think this another example of corporate America serious meddling in politics. Obama is not losing it at all.
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