Idris Khan has been commissioned by the Obama Foundation to create new work for the Obama Presidential Center, opening in Chicago in spring 2026. Khan joins the latest group of 10 international artists announced as part of the Center's historic campus-wide art programme.
Titled Sky of Hope, Khan's work is an immersive, site-specific painting for the Museum's Skyroom, consisting of thousands of hand-stamped words referencing President Obama's Selma speech — the same text that is permanently sculpted into the building's exterior. Radiating from the apex of the ceiling, the words will create a contemplative environment inviting visitors to reflect on democracy and the power of public voice.
Image: portrait of Idris Khan by Mariano Vivanco
September 11 2025
