9ft Tall, 10ft Wide, 1 Billion Stories
Nigerian-born contemporary artist Njideka Akunyili Crosby just did what art does best: she made us stop & look closer.
Her monumental piece “The Obamas: Springing Forth (2026)” now anchors the Hope and Change Lobby at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago’s Southside. 9 feet tall. 10 feet wide. Multi-layered. Emotionally resonant. Deeply personal.
This isn’t just a portrait. It’s a tapestry of cultural touchstones. It’s Nigeria meeting the White House. It’s diaspora meeting legacy. It’s a Black woman from Enugu painting the most photographed Black family in modern history — & making them feel human again.
- Why “Springing Forth” Hits Different
The title alone is prophetic. “Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth.”
Crosby’s signature style layers acrylic, charcoal, photo transfers, & personal ephemera. So when you stand before it, you don’t just see the Obamas. You see:
Layers of Identity: American history + Nigerian memory + immigrant dreams + Southside roots.
Layers of Time: Public icons vs private parents. Power vs tenderness. Campaign vs kitchen table.
Layers of Hope: “Springing Forth” isn’t nostalgia. It’s forward motion. New growth from planted seeds.
NigerianPride – one of our own helped define how history will remember this chapter, speaking universal truth.
- 3 Lessons from the Hope & Change Lobby
Lesson 1: Monumental Impact Needs Intimate Detail
9x10ft gets attention. But people stay because of the “vibrant tapestry” forcing them to👀closer. In life, leadership, & faith: be big enough to be seen, detailed enough to be studied. Surface gets views. Depth gets legacy.
Lesson 2: Your Diaspora is Your Brush
Crosby didn’t hide her Nigerian lens to paint American icons. She used it – Ankara prints, Nollywood references, family photos blend with presidential history. Result: a fuller story.
Lesson 3: Art Builds Bridges
Obama Presidential Center sits on Chicago’s Southside — a place often overlooked. Crosby, a Nigerian woman, created its centerpiece. Art connects Enugu to Chicago. Immigrant to President. Pain to Hope. 🖼️reminds us we’re still “one.”
👀Closer
“The Obamas: Springing Forth” forces viewers to look closer.
Don’t📜past people, places, or seasons. 👀 closer at stories embedded beneath the surface. New things springing forth if you have👀to🖼️
Nigeria gave the🌍Njideka Akunyili Crosby. She gave the🌍a new way to👀the Obamas.
What🖼️are you being asked to create with the layers of your life?
