Ruben Esparza
Si Se Puede, 2008
Serigraph, Ed. 108
20”x26”

This print shows President Barack Obama’s portrait behind a forest green background, looking up in the distance towards the progress of a greater future. The phrase “Si Se Puede” reaches out to the Latino community, whose vote holds a strong power in national elections, and shows the overwhelming support of Obama’s campaign by Latino and Spanish speaking populations. After Shepard Fairey’s iconic “Hope” poster, featuring Obama’s portrait in red, blue, and beige, came out during the election season, the face of the then presidential candidate became not only an icon for his 2008 presidential campaign, but a sort of cult symbol for social progressivism and change. Esparza’s poster, printed just a few weeks before the election, aimed to stir support amongst Latino communities in Los Angeles for Obama’s platform for change.

“Rubén Esparza is an artist and independent curator based in Los Angeles. Esparza’s studio practice spans painting, drawings and digital work, mixing it with elements of Conceptualism, ethnicity and Queer Culture. His curatorial work focuses on under-represented artists primarily in the queer and ethnic communities. His work is included as part of the permanent collections of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, the Santa Barbara Museum, National Museum of Mexican Art, Chicago, Illinois, among others. He has created events and curated exhibitions across the United States, Latin America and Europe. Esparza is the Founder and Director of the Queer Biennial anchored in Los Angeles, with satellites in New York, Mexico, Miami, Paris, Tel Aviv. and Zürich.”