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However, Obama's strong and unique character has also shaken up the art world. His portrait has become the subject matter for many artists ranging from graffiti artists around the globe to Marvel comics.

Artist Shepard Fairey's "Hope" collage has just joined the collection of the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, and the president is featured in a Spider-Man comic book for the second time.

Issue 583 in "The Amazing Spider-Man" series went on sale last Wednesday. The story is set in Washington on inauguration day and involves one of Spider-Man's oldest foes trying to prevent Obama from taking the oath of office.

In the world of print media, Fairey's "Hope" made it to Time, Esquire and Washington Life, and the artist's toying with the idea of "iconic" became a controversial issue.

"The 38-year-old street artist derived the image - made famous in presidential campaign posters - partly from the Eastern Orthodox Christian tradition of icon painting. With its simple dark contours on a background of earthly red and blue, the stencilled portrait proves the lasting power of a certain kind of ancient, static imagery even in our high-tech, digital age," says Bloomberg's art critic Martin Gayford

"Whatever you think of the 'Hope' portrait as a work of art, it is powerful and highly effective. Fairey has crafted an image seeded with multifarious cultural references that you immediately pick up, perhaps subliminally," he adds

Philip Kennicott of The Washington Post agrees. But, he says: "None of this is new. The slight turn of the head and upward glance, which allows the subject to look heavenward without seeming to supplicate to a higher power, are staples of political photography [John Kennedy was photographed in this pose very effectively]. The blocky design recalls T-shirts emblazoned with Che Guevara, and the mood and basic lines of Obama's face suggest the same pose and farseeing gaze of Huey Newton that used to appear on the banner of the Black Panther's community news service weekly paper in the 1970s. The 'posterisation' of photographic portraits was made famous by Andy Warhol, whose spirit still haunts these magazine covers ... It's all recycled. , but the precedents are so old - and designers such as Fairey are so young - one is tempted to think they're used without much regard to their historic resonance. New generations of graphic artists are happily stealing and repurposing graphic techniques that earlier artists, such as the post-modern social critic Barbara Kruger, once used to directly challenge the power structure. Pop art now sells vodka and real estate, and radical iconography now sells centrist politics."

Now let's look at Thailand. Colour also matters here. With the backing of the Army, Abhisit Vejjajiva took over as prime minister in December after the anti-Thaksin Shinawatra group, the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) stopped their months-long protest. Abhisit's government became "pastel green" - a colour created by mixing the green of the army and the yellow of the PAD.

Sadly, Abhisit's portrait has not inspired any Thai artists except for the red-shirted Thaksin supporters, who have been using his face to pelt eggs.

Unlike Obama, who won an election, Abhisit took his position in "Thai-style" democracy. Personally I think Obama is a much stronger character than Abhisit, so it's not surprising that our PM's face hasn't made it to the canvas.

However, his appearance early this month at Paragon Cineplex for the premiere of "Khwamsuk Khong Kati" ("Happiness of Kati") made a statement to the Bangkok arts scene. The film is based on a book written by Abhisit's older sister Ngamphan. Sahamongkol Film International's head honcho Somsak Techaratanaprasert and other directors made full use of the event as an opportunity to urge the PM to take action on copyright law.

We hope that Abhisit will be inspired to support Thai talent on celluloid as well as other art forms.

The premier should also support Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra to shape the direction of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre - the multimillion-baht museum that opened its door without proper management during Apirak Kosayodhin's term.

Abhisit still has some time on his hands. But he must remember that both taxpayers and artists are keeping a close eye on him, and the moment he makes a mistake, his face will definitely becoming an inspiration. After all, ousted prime minister Thaksin became one of the few Thai premiers to become a subject on canvas, the most memorable one being controversial artist Vasan Sitthiket's piece of the former PM's square face.

However, I personally hope to see Abhisit's influence on art from all perspectives.