Kofie'One's Obama Mural

Obamanation
Photos and text by Shelley Leopold

A mural appeared in Mid-Wilshire on a recent morning — not on a rooftop or an overpass, but at the ninth-floor entrance to a nondescript office building. Like most pieces of graffiti art, it rose to greet its environment seemingly uninvited as it staked its claim. “It just kind of appeared one day after we moved in,” comments Van Tamom, a national campaign coordinator for the Barack Obama campaign. “I walked in, and wow!” Turns out, artist Kofie’One, a writer with the L.A. crews WCA and UTI, was approached by a fellow Obama supporter to enliven the headquarters in celebration of its opening in October. “I was given the opportunity to creatively contribute to Barack Obama’s campaign and didn’t give it a second thought,” Kofie says. “The fact that an artist like myself even lands on Obama’s radar is an honor and speaks to exactly why Obama has my vote. Do you think any other candidate has a mural from an artist like me in their headquarters?”

Barack Obama will be in LA speaking Monday, December 10 at Gibson Amphitheatre, Universal City. Also appearing: Scarlett Johansson, Anthony Keidas, will.i.am and others.