
The Obama Foundation has commissioned ten visionary artists, including Alison Saar ’78, to create public art installations. The works will be featured across the Obama Presidential Center’s campus in Chicago, Illinois.
“Their forthcoming installations are part of the Center’s initiative to commission over 25 new site-specific works, ranging from monumental sculptures to intimate murals and immersive environments,” . “lt is a bold, multidisciplinary arts program that will animate nearly every corner of the Center, inside and out.”
Saar’s piece, Torch Song, a towering bronze figure inspired by the Statue of Liberty, will be located in the Women’s Garden. The work invites viewers to challenge the status quo and expose injustices. The commission follows on the heels of Saar’s recent sculpture, Salon, which she completed for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.
Celebrating the legacy of America’s first Black president and First Lady, the Obama Presidential Center will feature a museum, plaza, garden, and auditoriums to create “a global hub for inspiration, action, and community.” The 19.3-acre campus will open in spring 2026.