Obama portraits make history with compelling works from significant painters

Dallas News ^ | February 15, 2018 | by Rick Brettell, Art Critic

[Oldeconomybuyer]

The U.S. was rather late in establishing a National Portrait Gallery - and in creating the conditions for commissioning official portraits of presidents and first ladies.

There is little doubt that the Obamas were the most stylish and sophisticated first couple since the Kennedys and, as powerful individuals in their respective roles, the Obamas elected to each choose a different painter, thus breaking the tradition of commissioning official portraits from one - always white and always male - artist.

But nothing is typical about the Obamas. They were the first African-American couple in the White House, and nothing is typical about their portraits. The Obamas selected artists of African descent, and each selected an artist of their same gender.

Amy Sherald portrayed Michelle Obama, making Sherald the first female artist of any race in the history of official portraits. If any official presidential portraits are "politically correct," it is there.

The portraits are by artists widely recognized in the art world - a far cry from the conventional painters favored by earlier presidents and their wives. Even the savvy Jacqueline Kennedy chose the competent, but unremarkable, society portrait painter Aaron Shikler, who also painted Nancy Reagan, and no art critic or art historian worth his or her salt would ever consider writing about those thoroughly unexceptional, if conventionally beautiful, portraits.

The portraits are decidedly unlike the staid official likenesses of their predecessors, George W. and Laura Bush — and indeed, unlike any others to hang in the National Portrait Gallery. They represent two powerful and important individuals against invented backdrops with little suggestion of place. They call out for us to reconsider Michelle and Barack Obama not as powerful figures, but as individuals in American society.

[BenLurkin]

Exactly

[robroys woman]

I really don’t think the paintings are all that bad. The problem I have is that they are OBVIOUSLY also NOT THAT GREAT.

They are pedestrian art. The only thing missing is the black velvet.

[Liz]

There is little doubt that the Obamas were the most stylish and sophisticated first couple since the Kennedys............

Yeah....she's stylish, alright. That's one ugly F/L.

[KyCats]

And to prove that the artist left out no element of Obama’s essential character, this masterpiece even includes semen on his forehead!

[spincaster]

Anyone can paint a pile of excrement and they were both that!

[ExpatCanuck]

That’s where it lost me too. Hoping some folks can post some pics of these grifters at their most sophisticated (frumpy clothes exiting Air Force One, mom jeans on a girly bike etc.) just as a reminder of what we’re missing now /s.

[Spok]

Fortunately for Michelle, her portrait doesn’t really look like her.

[grobdriver]

There is little doubt that the Obamas were the most stylish and sophisticated first couple since the Kennedys

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAhahahahahahahahahahahaha! ! ! !

The Obamas, who brought the ghetto to the White House.

[BenLurkin]

Stylish and sophisticated......

[simpson96]

[BerryDingle]

[Diogenesis]

.. the six fingers on the L is also bizarre in the
setting of a fraud attempting to change history
by no facts, and no BC, no SS# and no college records.

[BenLurkin]

[ilovesarah2012]

http://www.utdallas.edu/ah/people/faculty_detail.php?faculty_id=81

I’m betting the Obamas paid this guy big bucks to right this drivel. Did he mention how the black fag artist likes to paint sperm into his works? I can’t believe Michelangelo didn’t think of that.

[Dick Vomer]

Hahhaha this toadie is just doing what he has to in order to keep his job Here were the original submissions but were deemed to formal.

[TTFlyer]

The very definition of “The Emperor’s New Clothes.”

[NorthMountain]

0bama is a phag ... it’s no surprise he picked another phag to paint that ugly, incompetently rendered portrait.

[CIB-173RDABN]

The Obamas have done it to themselves. They set themselves up for ridicule, not just today but as long as those painting are on public display.

I suspect after a period of time, these paintings will be replace by more traditional portraits.

[AFret.]

And to prove that the artist left out no element of Obama’s essential character, this masterpiece even includes semen on his forehead!

---

Not only the spooge...the “artist” added a finger to his left hand...count them, there are six. (Of course you can’t see his thumb, which is up his ass, as usual).

[tschatski]

Barry’s picture is perfect. It shows him engulfed in kudzu, an invasive foreign plant that does damage to the country. It’s the perfect metaphor for him.