Today, Barack and Michelle Obama contributed to shaping history once again as their portraits for the National Portrait Gallery were unveiled. Their official portraits, painted by Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald, were the first to be commissioned by African American artists in our country's history. These are also the first to be done in a contemporary style, compared to more traditional official portraits of the past. Wiley's work features Barack in a relaxed seated position, with no tie, engulfed in flowering botanicals that symbolize his roots. Sherald's piece features Michelle in a cascading gown that evokes the work of Mondrian as well as quilts from a community of black artists known as Gee's Bend. To read more about this poignant day in American art history, please check out the link below and let me know what you think in the comments section!
news.artnet.com/exhibitions/obama-portrait-national-portrait-gallery-1221629
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