The World Loves 44!

Obama’s portrait has been on display at the @NPG for six months and there’s still a line to see it. pic.twitter.com/VMisOoiYUt

— Emily Graslie 📺🦕🦖 (@Ehmee) September 23, 2018

An Awesome Dance Party

Parker, I'm so glad I had the chance to meet you today (and for the dance party)! Keep on dreaming big for yourself...and maybe one day I'll proudly look up at a portrait of you! pic.twitter.com/faUVTsYWun

— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) March 6, 2018

They Matter. Always

The 1st image summarizes one of the reasons why the presidency of Barack Obama and the powerful presence of Michelle Obama matter to humanity, particularly to Black children. Never forget the 2nd image. Maybe it will heighten our understanding. pic.twitter.com/BkCEz3erlQ

— Be A King (@BerniceKing) March 3, 2018

‘Our Collective Imagination’

https://twitter.com/MsPackyetti/status/969716832562302976

Even when out of sight, the Obamas continue to leverage the collective imagination of the American people like no one else https://t.co/9lMuVKfF3H

— WIRED (@WIRED) March 1, 2018

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New from me: People Are Crying Over This Photo Of A Little Girl Staring At Michelle Obama's Portrait https://t.co/RMvAGdb1Qj

— David Mack (@davidmackau) March 2, 2018

I spoke to the guy who took this (instantly iconic) photo of a little girl staring at @MichelleObama's portrait: "It was so touching and uplifting for me to see this beautiful child looking at a beautiful portrait of a powerful woman." https://t.co/1PUY8Aau4K pic.twitter.com/kVpdBQERGO

— David Mack (@davidmackau) March 2, 2018

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Everyone, meet 2-year-old Parker Curry. "In the world we live in today, I'm just trying to raise a little girl who has opportunities to see women who look like her doing great things," her mom Jessica told me https://t.co/0gBu6FaHFF pic.twitter.com/FSr6Y8cTXc

— David Mack (@davidmackau) March 2, 2018

Chat Away

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From HOUSE PARTY to LOSING GROUND to GANJA AND HESS to I AM SOMEBODY, this list makes me swoon. A strong starting point for anyone who wants to learn more about the black cinematic canon. Delicious work here. https://t.co/rrYK7Hs95y

— Ava DuVernay (@ava) February 1, 2018

We Only Acknowledge One POTUS

The line to take a photo of Obama’s portrait stretches out of the Portrait Gallery, into a stairwell, and out into the courtyard. Insane. pic.twitter.com/9mS9rhR6Dd

— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) February 16, 2018

Same Y’all. Same.

come back pic.twitter.com/R3SZ7Pmdf5

— chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) February 12, 2018

“We miss you guys”, @BarackObama. “We miss you more”, the audience. pic.twitter.com/3q11gCWNWD

— Valerie Jarrett (@ValerieJarrett) February 12, 2018

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THESE PORTRAITS ARE UNLIKE ANYTHING A PRESIDENT HAS EVER DONE. IM CRYING ITS SO BEAUTIFUL.

— Akilah Hughes (@AkilahObviously) February 12, 2018

They’re incredible. I miss them so. https://t.co/8CVg2EOz3K

— chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) February 12, 2018

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help us pic.twitter.com/dbjYjz2CsW

— chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) February 12, 2018

https://twitter.com/MsPackyetti/status/963078607622037505

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https://twitter.com/MsPackyetti/status/963078740191465474

Kehinde talked about his use of florals specifically, saying he chose flowers from Chicago, Kenya and Hawaii as his interpretation of "charting [Obama's] path on earth through these plants" https://t.co/7mVl2W78kY

— Christina Coleman Mullen (@ChrissyCole) February 12, 2018

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Barack Obama looks at Michelle the way all women want to be looked at by a lover. https://t.co/VVkX90UODP pic.twitter.com/cED3z5bVB5

— ESSENCE (@Essence) February 12, 2018

Exclusive: Pres. Barack Obama’s official portraitist, Kehinde Wiley, tells me that the Obamas “are signalling to the rest of the world that it is okay to occupy skin that happens to look like this.” https://t.co/W54G31oy2v

— Christiane Amanpour (@amanpour) February 12, 2018

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Full interview: https://t.co/1c3yBbBRe1 ... and tonight at 11pm ET on @PBS! https://t.co/Oj9r6j4996

— Christiane Amanpour (@amanpour) February 12, 2018

Today, @BarackObama and @MichelleObama became the first presidential couple to be painted by African American artists for the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. https://t.co/gKAZ47b2Oh pic.twitter.com/mM3LGxFgxO

— The Obama Foundation (@ObamaFoundation) February 12, 2018

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https://twitter.com/MsPackyetti/status/963082184801308673

https://twitter.com/MsPackyetti/status/963080525320736768

Forever Historic

 

Artist: Kehinde Wiley

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Artist: Amy Sherald

Champions Of The Arts

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Kelly Crow: Obamas Choose Rising Stars To Paint Their Official Portraits

The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery has commissioned a pair of rising-star artists—New York’s Kehinde Wiley and Baltimore’s Amy Sherald—to paint its official portraits of the former president and first lady. Both artists have exhibited widely, but this presidential assignmentamounts to a coup as they follow in the footsteps of artists like Gilbert Stuart, whose portraits of George Washington are considered masterpieces. The Obamas also made a point to champion the arts during their time in the White House, which has heightened art-world curiosity over which artists they would choose.

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The Smithsonian confirmed Thursday that former President Barack Obama has asked to be painted by Mr. Wiley, a 40-year-old artist best known for his vivid portraits of young, black men in imperious, Old-Master poses. Ms. Sherald, a 44-year-old artist known for painting surreal portraits of elegant black women, will paint Ms. Obama. Ms. Sherald’s signature style is to use a palette of grays instead of skin tones to capture her subjects’ faces and hands. Anticipation in art circles is high because the Obamas have chosen artists with major followings. The Smithsonian’s set of presidential and first-lady portraits remains distinct from the White House’s own collection of portraits, though. Mr. Wiley and Ms. Sherald are the first black artists hired by the Smithsonian to paint a president and his first lady.

More here

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