Subway poster for School of Visual Arts designed by Gail Anderson

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

This is a subway poster for the School of Visual Arts designed by Gail Anderson and illustrated by Terry Allen, featuring a quote from President Barack Obama and an abstract illustration of a flying bird. The poster has a dark blue background with three round spots of lighter blue along the margins. These lighter areas have blurry edges that fade into dark blue. At the top right corner is an abstract white and blue bird with its wings spread. It has a small red flower just above its heart. In the wake of the bird’s tail is white text that reads “IN REAFFIRMING / THE GREATNESS / OF OUR NATION.”. Below this is a space, and then horizontal white text continues ”WE / UNDERSTAND THAT / GREATNESS / IS NEVER A GIVEN. / IT MUST BE / EARNED. /PRESIDENT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA / Inaugural Address – January 20, 2009.

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