Sneak peek: Artwork at the Obama Presidential Center

Discover more than 20 world-renowned artists whose work will appear at the Obama Presidential Center.

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When the Obama Presidential Center opens in June, original works of art from more than two dozen world-renowned artists will greet visitors throughout the 19.3 campus–-allowing world-class art to be publicly accessible throughout the center.

From the White House to the Obama Presidential Center, President and Mrs. Obama have used the art as a tool to inspire, empower, and connect people from around the world. 

To date, we have worked with 28 commissioned artists on installations that encourage visitors to open their imaginations and reflect on their ability to bring change home. Nearly all of the pieces are outside or in areas that are free to the public during operating hours. The  installations represent a variety of artworks including sculptures, murals, and more. The vast majority of the artwork will be free to view and available to the public.

Take a look at a few of the artists that will be featured when the Center opens in June 2026.

The image is a photographed portrait of Nick Cave. The background of the image is a dark gray backdrop. Nick has a deep skin tone, a short gray mohawk, and a gray goatee. He is wearing a black and blue patterned suit jacket and a blue shirt underneath.
Credit: Photo by Sandro Miller
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Credit: Photo by Joshua Franzos

Nick Cave & Marie Watt

This Land, Shared Sky

(Museum | Main Lobby Acoustic Element)

A monumental multimedia textile installation is made with beaded nets embedded with sculptural jingle elements, This Land, Shared Sky merges Indigenous and Black traditions in a celebration of movement, sound, and shared resilience. This work marks the first collaboration between Nick Cave and Marie Watt.

he image is a photographed portrait of Nekisha Durrett. The image is in black, white, and greyscale tones. Nekisha has a deep complexion and light colored hair that is falls in waves around the nape of her neck. She is wearing hoop earrings and a white collared shirt with a embroidered design.
Credit: Photo by Grace Roselli, Pandoras BoxX Project

Nekisha Durrett

The Hem of Heaven 

(Forum | Harriet Tubman Courtyard)

Durrett’s ambitious freestanding sculpture installed in the Harriet Tubman Courtyard, Hem of Heaven, embodies community, strength, and collective effort. Composed of thousands of handmade, perforated ceramic tiles intricately interwoven, the work offers a vibrant reimagining of Harriet Tubman’s shawl.

The image is a photographed portrait of Idris Khan. The image is in grey scale. The background of the image is a dark wall. Idris is standing with his arms folder across his chest, staring into the camera. He has a light complexion, short dark hair, and a light colored five-o-clock shade on his face. He is wearing a dark colored button-down shirt with a color. The shirt has a pocket on the left side and white buttons.
Credit: Photo by Mario Vivanco

Idris Khan

Sky of Hope 

(Museum | Skyroom)

Sky of Hope, an immersive, site-specific painting consisting of thousands of hand-stamped words referencing President Obama’s Selma speech - the same text that is permanently sculpted into the Museum building’s exterior.  These words will radiate from the apex of the ceiling to create a contemplative environment that invites reflection on democracy and the power of public voice.

The image is a photographed portrait of Jenny Holzer. The image is in black and white. Jenny has a pale complexion and long dark hair. She is looking off into the distance and touching her hair with her left hand. She is wearing a black jacket with a silver zipper that is zipped up to her neck.
Credit: Photo by Nanda Lanfranco

Jenny Holzer

Freedom Riders

(Museum | Skyroom Vista)   

Jenny Holzer is best known for her text-based public art projects. Exploring how language is used both as poetry and as a means of concealment, Holzer has employed a variety of media throughout her career. Holzer attended the University of Chicago, received her BFA from Ohio University in 1972, and her MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1977. She currently lives and works between Brooklyn, NY, and Hoosick Falls, NY.

The image is a photographed portrait of Kiki Smith. Kiki has a light olive complexion and long gray hair. She is standing outside in a field, her face is partially obscured by pink flowers hanging from the right side of the image. She is wearing a black shirt.
Credit: Photo by Judy Dryland

Kiki Smith

Receive

(Museum | Hope & Change Lobby) 

Receive is the largest of the artist's bronze sculptures with moon and stars. It celebrates our shared connection to the cosmos, offering hope, orientation, and solace at the heart of the museum. 

The image is a photographed portrait of Jules Julien. He is sitting with his right leg slightly bent underneath him on the edge of a green corduroy couch with brown pillows. On the wall behind Jules are several art pieces of different sizes and shapes. Sitting on the floor next to Julien is an indoor white plant holder with a light. There is a green plant sitting within the plant holder. Next to the plant holder are three books stacked vertically. Jules has a medium olive complexion and closely cropped dark hair. He is wearing clear rimmed glasses, a black t-shirt, blue denim jeans, and white sneakers.
Credit: The Obama Foundation

Jules Julien

All Together

(Museum Level 5 | Imagine Your Impact)

Julien’s digital mural on Level 5 of the Museum exhibits eleven thematic illustrations composed of thousands of dots, each symbolizing the journey from individual to collective action and the ripple effect of democratic participation.

The image is a photographed portrait of Aliza Nisenbaum. Aliza is sitting in a black chair that is partially obscured in a room with a white wall. Alize has an olive complexion and long dark curly hair. She is smiling at the camera. She is wearing a small dark necklace and a dark colored button-down shirt.
Credit: Photo by Naima Green

Aliza Nisenbaum

Reading Circles/Weaving Dreams/Seeding Futures

(Library | Main Reading Room)

A sweeping mural, Reading Circles/ Weaving Dreams/ Seeding Futures depicts moments of civic life within a public library, offering a living portrait of community in action. Centered on the library as a place of dreaming, storytelling, and shared histories, the work underscores its role as a vital gathering space.

The image is a photographed portrait of Jack Pierson. Behind Jack is a white wall. Jack is staring into the camera. He has an olive complexion, short light colored hair, and a goatee. He is wearing a dark colored sweater.
Credit: Photo by Omer Ben-Zvi

Jack Pierson

HOPE

(Museum | Entry Pavilion)

A word sculpture spelling HOPE from found letters, referencing Pierson’s iconic use of nostalgic Americana and echoing President Obama’s defining campaign message.

The image is a photographed portrait of Alison Saar. Alison is standing in her studio with elements of her art piece "Torch Song" in the background. Allison has a light olive complexion and long grey hair. She is wearing a checkered dark shirt with buttons down the front.
Credit: Photo by Maddy Inez

Alison Saar

Torch Song

(Grounds | Women’s Garden)

A towering cast bronze figure inspired by the Statue of Liberty, Torch Song embodies the soul of Chicago’s blues heritage. Raising a gilded flame skyward in song, she becomes a beacon of resistance and truth, igniting viewers to challenge the status quo and expose injustices.

Photograph of Theaster Gates in his art studio. The background is dark. There is a brick wall to the right of Theaster. In front of the wall is a work cabinet and a large red installation. Theaster is sitting on a large wooden work table. Theaster has a medium deep skin tone and a no hair. He has a gray, salt and pepper beard. He is wearing red rectangular glasses. His shirt is light colored, long sleeved. He is wearing blue jeans and dark shoes.
Credit: Photo by Akilah Townsend

Theaster Gates 

To See What They Could See 

American Vista 

(Forum | Hadiya Pendleton Atrium) 

Located in the Forum Building’s public atrium—named for Hadiya Pendleton, the 15-year-old Chicago student who marched in President Obama’s second inauguration parade and was tragically killed a week later due to gun violence—the space stands as a symbol of community, strength, and civic action. Gates’s installation reflects on the power of collective resilience and honors the everyday individuals whose lives and practices sustain and enshrine movements for justice and change. 

Spencer Finch is crouching down staring off into the distance. Behind him is a body of water with several large rocks sitting in the water. Spencer Finch has pale skin and short light colored hair. He is wearing round glasses that are a dark color. He is wearing a blue button-down shirt, dark pants, and a black watch.
Credit: Photo by Anna Mas

Spencer Finch 

Memory Landscape (Nairobi, Chicago, Honolulu, Jakarta)

(Forum | Lower Lobby)

Finch’s Memory Landscape (Nairobi, Chicago, Honolulu, Jakarta) is a tile wall mural installation inspired by memories of places from President Obama's formative years. The colors for each location, including Honolulu, Jakarta, Chicago, and Nairobi, were selected personally by President Obama. 

Credit: Photo courtesy of Mark Bradford and Hauser & Wirth

Mark Bradford 

City of the Big Shoulders 

(Museum | Our Story Atrium) 

Bradford’s City of the Big Shoulders is a monumental wall installation enveloping the 3-story west wall of the Our Story Atrium in the Museum mapping Chicago through an embrace of fragmentation and perspective, collapsing landscape into memory and compressing history into a story of pressure, power, survival, and hope.

Tyanna is sitting with her legs crossed on a dark colored chair staring into the camera. Behind her is a white wall with a green tapestry hanging from one side. Next to the wall is a small stack of bricks. Tyanna has a deep skin complexion and medium length black hair. She is wearing hoop earrings, a white long sleeved shirt and a white skirt. On her feet are brown loafers.
Credit: Photo by Natasha Moustache

Tyanna J. Buie

Be the Change!

(Forum | Democracy in Action Lounge)

Tyanna J. Buie’s piece is a large-scale installation in the Forum Building, featuring screen-printed imagery and hand-applied ink inspired by materials from President Obama’s election. The Chicago native’s work is centered on hope, change, and the power of civic participation. Buie’s commission was inspired by her personal experience as a young adult participating in Chicago’s annual Bud Billiken Parade, where she stood alongside a group of “Obama for Senate” supporters.  

Jay Heikes is looking directly into the camera. Jay has pale skin and short red colored hair. He is wearing oval glasses and a white button-down shirt.
Credit: Photo by Jenn Murphy

Jay Heikes 

Quintessence

(Courtyard 1)

Heikes’ Quintessence is a constellation of seven-pointed bronze stars installed along one of the exterior courtyard walls. The installation reflects the complexity of American identity and invites contemplative engagement as sunlight moves across their textured surfaces.

Carrie Mae Weems is sitting down with her right hand holding up her head. Her face is tilted upward and she is smiling at the camera. Carrie has a light-deep skin tone and short curly hair. She has on drop earrings with a pearl at the end. She is wearing a black turtleneck top and dark pants.
Credit: Photo by Rolex, Audoin Desforges

Carrie Mae Weems 

The Cool Blue Wind

(Museum | Sky Room Vista) 

The Cool Blue Wind is a photographic collage printed on silver and gold metallic paper with blue tonal overlays accompanied by original music. The images reference Obama’s historic win and the freedom found in the organized improvisational nature of jazz. The associated soundtrack, which will be accessible to the public, centers jazz, collective memory, and democratic participation.

Sam Kirk is sitting on a white bench in her art studio. On the bench are several cans of spray paint. She is looking to her left and laughing. Sam has a medium light skin tone and long dark curly hair. Her hair is pulled to the top of her head. She is wearing a t-shirt, a painter's smock/apron, dark colored jeans, and sneakers. She is holding a can of spray paint. On the wall behind her is a stained glass art piece.
Credit: Photo by Tamara Hijazi
Dorian Sylvian is looking into the camera smiling. Dorian has a medium-deep skin tone and closely cropped gray hair. She has on large silver earrings. Her shirt is lace and has a variety of colors all blended together. Behind Dorian is a brightly colored wall with many colors.
Credit: Photo by Tim Seed

Sam Kirk and Dorian Sylvain 

Pass It Forward

(Home Court | Main Court) 

Pass It Forward, a collaborative mural in Home Court, the Center's athletic facility, celebrates the cultural legacies of Chicago's South Side, blending vibrant narrative imagery and community history to honor the neighborhoods that shaped the Obama family. The mural embodies the spirit of our connection to the past while reimagining our future through the eyes of the next generation. Bold color and cultural symbolism celebrate teamwork, trust, and shared responsibility. It is a reminder that every action we take has the power to push us ahead.

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