Saar’s contribution is part of a broader initiative to commission over 25 site-specific works across the Center’s 19.3-acre campus, joining artists like Nick Cave
Los Angeles-based artist Alison Saar has been commissioned to create a work for the Obama Presidential Center, set to open in Chicago in spring 2026. Saar’s piece, Torch Song, a towering cast bronze figure inspired by the Statue of Liberty and reflecting Chicago’s blues heritage, will stand in the Women’s Garden.
The sculpture, featuring a gilded flame raised skyward in song, serves as a beacon of resistance and truth, urging viewers to challenge injustices.
Saar’s contribution is part of a broader initiative to commission over 25 site-specific works across the Center’s 19.3-acre campus, joining artists like Nick Cave, Nekisha Durrett, Jenny Holzer, and others. The multidisciplinary arts program aims to transform the space into a cultural hub celebrating the legacy of President and First Lady Obama. Torch Song embodies the Center’s mission to inspire hope and democratic ideals, as noted by Obama Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett, who said, “Art has the power to reflect who we are and to shape who we aspire to become.”
Known for her multimedia sculptures and printmaking, Saar weaves history, literature, and mythology to explore Black life. Earlier this year, she received the High Museum’s David C. Driskell Prize, with a celebratory gala scheduled for September 20 in Atlanta.
L.A. Louver congratulated Saar on this milestone, with more details available at lalouver.com.
