GoTellMama! > About
About
Photo by Sarah Hoskins
What began in the fall of 2006 as the simple production of 25 limited edition DREAM screen-printed posters has become an internationally recognized graphical depiction of inspiration, hope, and change. Inspired by Barack Obama's fresh take, Ray Noland aka CRO, a Chicago-based graphic artist, developed a series of inspirational Obama images and animated videos which expressed the true nature of the campaign. Not your typical stodgy red, white and blue, CRO set out to redefine how it should be done with an independent political propaganda campaign.
GoTellMama! was created in conjunction with the official announcement of Obama for America. Its mission was to parallel the official race, to inspire the public, and to heighten awareness of Barack Obama using non-traditional tactics such as a national street art and viral video campaign. During the primary elections, GoTellMama! toured the country with the Officially Unofficial Art Show - which premiered in Chicago and traveled to Philadelphia, Raleigh and Portland. As a result of Obama clenching the nomination GoTellMama! embarked on the general election GOT NEXT! Tour 'o8 - with site-specific art installations in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver, Austin, Atlanta and Chicago.
In the 24 months leading up to the 2008 election, having hosted 10 art exhibitions in 9 cities, driven over 20,000 miles, viewed by 50,000 on Youtube, and with work in the collections of the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian and collectors as far reaching as Switzerland & Australia, CRO has solidified his place in history as a creator of the Obama Art Movement.
Special Thanks to: Rebecca Berdel, Erica Salaman, Joey Widener, Shawn Aurzada, Jerry Walker, DIZ, Katie Gerdes, Mike Timble, David Cohen, Iris Wolfson and the Mt. Airy family, James Anthony, Nick Grainger, Hillary Bryan, Wendy Given, Greg Hatem, Rick Meyer, Leah Newman, Joseph Rose, Yosi Sergent, Ty Cardaci, Maurice Werness, Jessica Darrow, Jeff aka Chicken George, Jeremy Sole and everyone else who has helped and encouraged this mission.
