”Springing Forth” — When Nigerian Hands Paint American History
9ft Tall, 10ft Wide, 1 Billion StoriesNigerian-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. […]
Black News 
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 haveto
Nigeria gave the
Njideka Akunyili Crosby. She gave thea new way tothe Obamas.
Whatare you being asked to create with the layers of your life?
