by Della Watson
The post has been held by 43 other guys--most of them bland and forgettable, a few of them grandly memorable, and some of 'em we really, really wish we could forget.
But Barack Obama is more than just the 44th President of the United States. He is a muse. You need only take a look at blogs like the Obama Art Report (or stop by your local Urban Outfitters) to find the biggest image-making frenzy since Che hit t-shirts. And it's not just professional artists and clever marketers who are inspired. Schoolchildren are doodling Obama art in their notebooks, senior citizens are sketching his likeness, and my neighbors are painting Obama murals on their houses (the photo above was snapped in Berkeley, California).
Obama's legacy isn't set in stone--yet. On July 8, Greenpeace rock climbers unfurled Obama's giant image on the face of Mt. Rushmore. The banner read "America honors leaders, not politicians. Stop Global Warming." The implication was that Obama can be one of our most memorable, rock-worthy leaders if only he plays his cards right. The stage for grandeur has been set. We'll have to see how the HOPE and CHANGE things play out, but one thing's for sure: We're sooooo ready to immortalize the guy in stone and ink and paint.
So this week on Wunderkammer, we're celebrating the muse of the moment: Barack Hussein Obama.
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