The Latest: Obama: Working with artist on a portrait a ‘joy’
Posted Feb 12, 2018 10:24 am.
Last Updated Feb 12, 2018 11:01 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
WASHINGTON – The Latest on the Obama portraits: (all times local):
12:20 p.m.
Former President Barack Obama says that sitting down for his presidential portrait was a frustrating experience.
Speaking at the painting’s unveiling ceremony Monday at the National Portrait Gallery, Obama said he normally hates posing, saying he gets impatient and starts “looking at my watch.”
But he told the crowd that working with artist Kehinde Wiley was “a great joy.”
Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama each had their portraits unveiled at the gallery.
The former president, who personally chose Wiley, said the artist listened carefully to his suggestions and then ignored most of them. Obama said he asked for less grey hair and was denied. He also says he tried to “negotiate smaller ears and struck out on that as well.”
11:46 a.m.
The National Portrait Gallery has unveiled portraits of former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama, both painted by African-American artists who were personally chosen by the Obamas.
The portraits were unveiled to the public Monday. The gallery has a complete collection of presidential portraits. A second and different set of portraits of the former first couple will eventually hang in the White House.
Barack Obama’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.
The portraits will be officially installed and available for public viewing starting on Feb. 13.
