LA Artist Alison Saar Commissioned for Obama Presidential Center Artwork

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