<p dir="ltr"><span>New pieces from 30 artists illuminate the Center’s 19.3-acre campus in Chicago, showcasing a commitment to public art and civic engagement.&nbsp;</span></p>

<p dir="ltr"><span>It is a truth universally acknowledged that summer is Chicago’s best season. From vibrant music festivals to a beach day by Lake Michigan, there’s never a shortage of things to do around the city when the weather lets up. The Windy City’s latest attraction is the Obama Presidential Center, which drew thousands of visitors to celebrate its grand opening over </span><a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/art/juneteenth-2026-events-art-exhibits-culture-community-new-york"><span>Juneteenth weekend</span></a><span> in Jackson Park on Chicago’s South Side.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p dir="ltr">The $850 million Obama Presidential Center features a 225-foot, four-floor museum (recently nicknamed the “Obamalisk”), a new branch of the Chicago Public Library, and a community hub complete with a fruit and vegetable garden, a playground, a sledding hill, and an NBA regulation basketball court.&nbsp;</p>

Getty Images.

<p dir="ltr"><span>Unlike other presidential institutions across the United States, the Obama Presidential Center is unique for its expansive display of fine art throughout the 19.3-acre campus. Visitors can engage with over 28 commissioned art installations, most of which are located outside or in areas free to the public during the center’s operating hours.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Alongside Virginia Shore, the center’s curator of commissions, the former president and former first lady handpicked a cohort of 30 artists who created original sculptures, murals, paintings, and more. The group ranges from well-established names in contemporary art, including Mark Bradford and Theaster Gates, to up-and-coming artists, such as associate professor at the Rhode Island School of Design, Tyanna J. Buie.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>“The arts have always been central to the American experience. They provoke thought, challenge our assumptions, and shape how we define our narrative as a country,” Obama said.&nbsp;</span></p>

<h2>Ten Art Installations You Can’t Miss at the Obama Presidential Center</h2>

<h3 dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><span>“The Cool Blue Wind” by Carrie Mae Weems&nbsp;</span></h3>

"The Cool Blue Wind" is located in the Museum | Sky Room Vista. Courtesy of the Obama Foundation.

<p>The images in Carrie Mae Weems' photographic collage are printed on silver and gold metallic paper, referencing Obama's historic presidential victory in 2008. The installation is accompanied by a soundtrack of original jazz music.&nbsp;</p>

<h3 dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><span>“Sky of Hope” by Idris Khan</span></h3>

“Sky of Hope” is located in the Museums | Sky Room. Courtesy of the Obama Foundation.

<p>Idris Khan's "Sky of Hope" is a painting that overlays thousands of hand-stamped words cascading on the ceiling of the Museum's Sky Room. Each word comes from a speech Obama gave to honor Civil Rights Leaders.&nbsp;</p>

<h3 dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><span>“Quintessence” by Jay Heikes</span></h3>

"Quintessence" is located in Courtyard 1. Courtesy of the Obama Foundation.

<p>Jay Heikes' installation, "Quintessence," is a group of seven-pointed bronze stars mounted on the outer courtyard walls of the Obama Presidential Center. Symbolic of the stars on the American Flag, Heikes' work asks visitors to consider the different facets and sides of American national identity.&nbsp;</p>

<h3 dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><span>“Reading Circles/Weaving Dreams/Seeding Futures” by Aliza Nisenbaum&nbsp;</span></h3>

<p class="p1">Aliza Nisenbaum's mural depicts moments of civic life within a public library, a living portrait of a community in action. This work centers the library as a place of dreaming, storytelling, and shared histories.&nbsp;</p>

<h3 dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Uprising of the Sun” by Julie Mehretu</strong></h3>

"Uprising of the Sun" by Julie Mehretu. Courtesy of The Obama Foundation.

"Uprising of the Sun" is located on the Museum’s northern exterior. Courtesy of The Obama Foundation.

<p dir="ltr"><span>Julie Mehretu’s 83-foot stained glass installation, “Uprising of the Sun,” reflects on President Obama’s speech at the 50th anniversary of the Selma march. Visitors can look at the layers of colorful stained glass as they ride the elevator up to the museum.&nbsp;</span></p>

<h3 dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><span>“This Land, Shared Sky” by Marie Watt and Nick Cave&nbsp;</span></h3>

"This Land, Shared Sky" is located in the Museum's Main Lobby. Courtesy of The Obama Foundation.

<p>"This Land, Shared Sky" is the first collaboration between artists Marie Watt and Nick Cave. The multimedia textile installation unites Native American and Black artistic traditions in a <span>celebration of movement, sound, and shared resilience.&nbsp;</span></p>

<h3 dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><span>“Weary Blues” by Lindsay Adams&nbsp;</span></h3>

"Weary Blues" is located in the Museum Cafe. Courtesy of The Obama Foundation.

<p>Named after the iconic Langston Hughes poem, "The Weary Blues," Lindsay Adams's work blends abstract forms into silkscreen panels on fabric and meditates on the themes of <span>resilience, beauty, and Black creative expression.&nbsp;</span></p>

<h3 class="p1" style="text-align: center;">"City of the Big Shoulders" by Mark Bradford</h3>

"City of the Big Shoulders" is located in the Museums's "Our Story" Atrium. Courtesy of The Obama Foundation.

<p>Mark Bradford's painting/mural spans the three-story wall in the Museum's atrium and maps the entire city of Chicago. This work embraces <span>fragmentation and perspective, collapsing landscape into memory.</span></p>

<h3 dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><span>“The Obamas: Springing Forth” by Njideka Akunyili Crosby&nbsp;</span></h3>

“The Obamas: Springing Forth” is located in the Museum's Main Lobby. Courtesy of The Obama Foundation.

<p>The first portrait of Barack and Michelle Obama, Njideka Akunyili Crosby's work weaves together archival imagery, family albums, and historical ephemera in this layered painting to honor the Obamas' shared legacy.&nbsp;</p>

<h3 dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><span>“To See What They Could See” by Theaster Gates&nbsp;</span></h3>

“To See What They Could See” is located in the Forum's Hadiya Pendleton Atrium. Courtesy of The Obama Foundation.

<p class="p1">Theaster Gates's installation was created to honor Hadiya Pendleton—a 15-year-old Chicago student who was killed due to gun violence, a week after she marched in a parade to celebrate Obama's second inauguration—and reflects on the power of collective resilience.&nbsp;</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><em>The full list of the artists and their work can be found <a href="https://www.obama.org/visit/campus/art-collection/">here</a>. Museum tickets are currently sold out until Nov. 30. The Obama Presidential Center will release additional tickets on July 8.&nbsp;</em></p>

A Guide to the Artwork in the Obama Presidential Center

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