The first official presidential portraits of an African American President and his First Lady by African American artists generated quite a 'response'.
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| Barack Obama, born 1961, Forty-fourth president, 2009–2017 by Kehinde Wiley |
Plus there all these overtones and messages apparently embedded into the portraits
It felt a bit as if one could almost do a sociological analysis of America based on how people responded.
So I've done a round-up of some of the articles that were published and tried to categorise them. Interspersed by some of the comments made at the ceremony.
One of the interesting things is how the art journals have been pushed to one side in Google rankings by all the major newsprint publications who were all desperate to have a view, or two or three....
Start with this one - Presidential portraits: from Washington to Obama – in pictures - which provides a visual record of the portraits of past presidents - to provide some context!
You do wonder at the state of portraiture in the USA when looking at these portraits prior to the Obamas
Plusthe Unveiling Ceremony - if you care to watch. Speeches towards the end are interesting.
The Obamas chose Wiley and Sherald after considering portfolios of some 20 artists. The Obamas interviewed a few at the White House, but ultimately decided on the two contemporary portraitists with whom they each felt a connection. Both artists’ work shows a commitment to making portraits of people who have traditionally been marginalized. Time
How different is this?!!!
Why are they so different from what has gone before? (leaving aside how boring some of the
portrait artists are who have painted past portraits of Presidents!)
One thing is certain - Presidential Portraiture will never be quite the same again. I can't wait for the next one ;)
- Most Presidential Portraits Are Anodyne. Not Obama’s. | New York Times - The artists for the portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama addressed the politics of race in subtly savvy ways in these new commissions, our critic writes.
- 'A Game Changer.' How a Painting of President Obama Broke the Rules | Time Magazine
- Obama Portrait Artists Merged the Everyday and the Extraordinary | New York Times
- Barack and Michelle Obama's official portraits expand beyond usual format | The Guardian
- The Obamas Wrest Presidential Portraiture From Its Traditional (White) Trappings | Huffington Post
- How the Obama portraits cheerfully buck the trend of instantly forgettable presidential paintings | LA Times
The image is a striking departure from the staid presentation of many of the other 43 Presidents in the “America’s Presidents” exhibit. And for that reason, it feels like an essential addition to American history. Time
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| Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama born 1964, Born Chicago, Illinois by Amy Sherrald |
What's the meaning behind the portrait?
What do the flowers mean? What does the dress mean? What influenced the portraits. There's a mix of questions and a mix of answers....- The Shifting Perspective in Kehinde Wiley’s Portrait of Barack Obama | The New Yorker
- The Mystery of Amy Sherald’s Portrait of Michelle Obama | The New Yorker
- The Hidden Political Message of Michelle Obama’s Portrait Dress | Politico Magazine
- A surprising influence on Obama’s portrait: Abraham Lincoln | Washington Post
The flora in the portrait represent the stations of Obama’s scattered personal and ancestral past—blue lilies for Kenya; jasmine for Hawaii; chrysanthemums for Chicago
- Why the Obamas’ New Paintings Are a Milestone in Black Portraiture | Slate
- Behind The Obama Portraits: Artists Put Their Own Spin On A Presidential Tradition | NPR
Judgements on the Portraits
What I was always struck by whenever I saw his portraits was the degree to which they challenged our conventional views of power and privilege President Obama
- Bad News: Kehinde Wiley’s Portrait of Barack Obama Is a Bummer | ArtNet news
- Obama Portraits Blend Paint and Politics, and Fact and Fiction | New York Times
- Sean Hannity and other conservatives suggest Obama portraits are sexually perverted | AOL
- Would Hillary’s Portrait Have a Shadow Too? | Politico
How to see the portraits
I think one thing people have forgotten to comment on is just how many people are likely to come and view these portraits. I think there will be another batch of articles some way down the line commenting on how many visitors they have generated. Then the interesting question will be is it because of who they are - or because of how they were painted - or because of who painted them or all of those factors bundled up together. I vote for the latter!
- Former President Barack Obama's portrait is in the America's Presidents gallery on the museum's second floor.
- Former First Lady Michelle Obama's portrait is featured in the Recent Acquisitions gallery on the museum's first floor.
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