Shepard Fairey created his "Hope" poster by taking the same treatment he's given Andre the Giant for the last several years and applying it to Barack Obama. By doing so, Fairley may have brought street art all the way to... the the National Portrait Gallery! Wait, what? From The Obama Art Report:

the Smithsonian is currently in talks to acquire an original Shepard Fairey Obama piece. The hand stenciled and wheatpasted work, which was the prominent centerpiece of the Manifest Hope show in Denver this year, comes with a hefty $75,000 price tag, and it's reported that the Smithsonian is pretty darn close to raising the donations needed to purchase it. If acquired, this will be the first fine art rendering of our new president to grace the walls of the National Portrait Gallery.

Fairey's posters, which are heavily influenced by communist propaganda, certainly didn't help Obama with all those "Dear Leader" jokes. But it did provide us with one of the most memorable images of the 2008 campaign. Apparently the Smithsonian agrees. Thanks to Erik for the heads up.