Michelle Obama’s portrait by Baltimore artist Amy Sherald, oil on linen. (Amy Sherald)
The National Portrait Gallery unveiled Barack Obama’s portrait by Kehinde Wiley, oil on canvas. (Kehinde Wiley) The President's portrait is spot on, but, solemn. I find that both artists decided to portray their subjects in a serious tone. As to the greenery. Well, to me, President Obama was never afraid of the green economy he advocated and having leaves touch him is all part of that.
"The difference between linen and canvas" (click here) It is an interesting picture of the First Lady. I don't recall her being that solemn in her demeanor, but, perhaps that is an aspect of her time in the White House that needed to be brought out.
The artists should be heard from at some point and have them talk about their journey to find the right portrait.
12 February 2018
The National Portrait Gallery unveiled Barack Obama’s portrait by Kehinde Wiley, oil on canvas. (Kehinde Wiley) The President's portrait is spot on, but, solemn. I find that both artists decided to portray their subjects in a serious tone. As to the greenery. Well, to me, President Obama was never afraid of the green economy he advocated and having leaves touch him is all part of that.
"The difference between linen and canvas" (click here) It is an interesting picture of the First Lady. I don't recall her being that solemn in her demeanor, but, perhaps that is an aspect of her time in the White House that needed to be brought out.
The artists should be heard from at some point and have them talk about their journey to find the right portrait.
12 February 2018
The Obamas were there to see the unveiling of the gallery’s first commissions of official portraits by African American artists.
The former president’s portrait was painted by Kehinde Wiley, an artist best known for his vibrant, large-scale paintings of African Americans.
For Michelle Obama’s portrait, the gallery commissioned Baltimore-based artist Amy Sherald, first-prize winner of the Portrait Gallery’s 2016 Outwin Boochever Portrait competition.
“How about that? That’s pretty sharp,” said Obama, who described the art as “extraordinary”. He said: “It’s my great honor to be here. It means so much to us.”
He thanked Sherald for the portrait of his wife and for so “spectacularly capturing the the grace, and beauty, and intelligence, and charm, and … hotness of the woman I love”....
