CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – A print of the first photograph of President Obama acquired by the Smithsonian National Museum of American History is being auctioned on eBay to benefit Fisher House, a foundation that provides free housing to families visiting hospitalized members of the military.
Valued at $3,000, the print is from a photograph taken by Jesse Kalisher, owner of Jesse Kalisher Gallery in Chapel Hill, during a speech Obama delivered on April 28, 2008 at the University of North Carolina. It is currently up for auction on eBay GivingWorks, with 100% of the proceeds earmarked for the Fisher House charity. The 10-day auction will close at 6 p.m. Pacific Time on Nov. 22, 2009.
The photograph is a 16-inch by 20-inch 100-year archival silver gelatin print, matted on an acid-free mat and set in a 20-inch by 24-inch frame. It is hand-numbered and signed, is #6 out of an edition of 50, and comes from the artist’s personal collection.
The Smithsonian National Museum of American History Photography Department acquired #11 in the series. “It was the first photograph of Barack Obama acquired by the Smithsonian,” Kalisher told Auction Central News. “I consider that quite an honor.”
The DuSable Museum of African American History acquired #12 of the edition. As with all of his images, Kalisher will only make 50 prints from the negative.
The Jesse Kalisher Gallery has raised thousands of dollars for the Fisher House Foundation in previous auctions. “We’ve run an auction every year for the past five years,” Kalisher said. “The money we raise may only be a drop in the bucket, but it’s a way in which my wife and I – who oppose the war in Iraq – can show our support for those who are caught up in it and have been wounded.”
In addition to The Smithsonian, Kalisher’s fine-art photography is in the permanent collections of several museums, including The Louvre and the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston. He is represented by David Streets Beverly Hills on the West Coast and Anthem Gallery in New York.
The Fisher House Foundation (www.fisherhouse.org) provides free housing for the families of military wounded, within walking distance of military hospitals. This allows wounded soldiers to be reunited with their loved ones during times of critical recovery and medical care. The Pentagon reports more than 32,000 American men and women have been wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan since the start of the wars in both countries.
“Our troops are under fire every day,” Kalisher said, “which is why we need to show our support for the troops and for Fisher House. So long as our troops are getting wounded in combat anywhere in the world, Fisher House plays an indispensable role in our society.”
To view more information on the photograph or to bid, log on to www.kalisher.com. To contact Jesse Kalisher, call 919-967-4300, ext. 21; or 919-923-4070. E-mail: jesse@kalisher.com.
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