Rob Pruitt began The Obama Paintings as a means of recording Barack Obama’s presidency. Beginning with the inauguration on January 20, 2009, each morning Pruitt created a two-foot-by-two-foot painting of President Obama, with particular imagery drawn from news of the day. The work was completed on January 20, 2017, Obama’s last day in office, and is comprised of 2,922 individual paintings.

Commemorating the 10th anniversary of President Obama’s first inauguration, the presentation of The Obama Paintings has found a natural home for its first exhibition in Chicago at the Stony Island Arts Bank. Located just a mile from the intended future home of the Obama Presidential Center, the Stony Island Arts Bank was chosen by President Obama to host the inaugural meeting of the Obama Foundation Fellows last May.

• Artist Talk: Rob Pruitt with Louise Bernard and Theaster Gates | April 20, 1:00pm – 3:00pm