|
| The Obama Portraits
ISBN: 9780691203294
Platform/Publisher: JSTOR / Princeton University Press
Digital rights: Users: unlimited; Printing: chapter; Download: chapter
A richly illustrated celebration of the paintings of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama
From the moment of their unveiling at the National Portrait Gallery in early 2018, the portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama have become two of the most beloved artworks of our time. Kehinde Wiley's portrait of President Obama and Amy Sherald's portrait of the former first lady have inspired unprecedented responses from the public, and attendance at the museum has more than doubled as visitors travel from near and far to view these larger-than-life paintings. After witnessing a woman drop to her knees in prayer before the portrait of Barack Obama, one guard said, "No other painting gets the same kind of reactions. Ever." The Obama Portraits is the first book about the making, meaning, and significance of these remarkable artworks.
Richly illustrated with images of the portraits, exclusive pictures of the Obamas with the artists during their sittings, and photos of the historic unveiling ceremony by former White House photographer Pete Souza, this book offers insight into what these paintings can tell us about the history of portraiture and American culture. The volume also features a transcript of the unveiling ceremony, which includes moving remarks by the Obamas and the artists. A reversible dust jacket allows readers to choose which portrait to display on the front cover.
An inspiring history of the creation and impact of the Obama portraits, this fascinating book speaks to the power of art--especially portraiture--to bring people together and promote cultural change.
Published in association with the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery, Washington, DC
Richard J. Powell, author, editor and art history professor, earned a Ph. D. at Yale University. He is currently the department chair of Art History at Duke University. He specializes in American and African American Art. He wrote Black Art and Culture in the 20th Century, a comprehensive look at African American art forms, and edited Rhapsodies in Black: Art of the Harlem Renaissance. In addition, he was co-curator of an exhibit organized by the Addison Gallery of America Art and the Studio Museum in Harlem. A catalog of the exhibit was published under the name To Conserve a Legacy: American Art from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. (Bowker Author Biography) |
