Njideka Akunyili-Crosby, the daughter of late Dora Akunyili, did a portrait of former US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama and that portrait will now be given pride of place at the Obama Presidential Center.
Barack and Michelle Obama officially revealed and spotlighted their first joint official portrait today, June 15.
It was painted by the acclaimed Nigerian-born, Los Angeles-based visual artist Njideka Akunyili Crosby.
The Obamas praised the artwork ahead of the grand opening of the Obama Presidential Center.
The Obamas viewed the newly completed work during a private gathering at the museum’s Hope and Change Lobby in Chicago.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama, who had been vocal about her desire for Akunyili Crosby to do a project with and for her, expressed deep admiration for the honor.
The piece is one of 28 original art commissions featured on the museum’s campus.
In Akunyili Crosby’s portrait, both of the Obamas are seated, with Barack inclined casually on a desk, while Michelle is on a chair, legs crossed, in the foreground.
Akunyili Crosby wanted the Obamas to appear “significantly bigger than life-size” and gave the work a landscape orientation, a decision that left her with “a lot of interior space to invent.”
She surrounded the Obamas with objects from their respective pasts: a volume of the Harvard Law Review published during his tenure as the journal’s first Black president; a copy of Stevie Wonder’s Talking Book, the first album she ever owned.
Michelle Obama shared a video of her and Barack viewing the portrait and wrote in the caption: “Barack and I were so honored to have @NjidekaAkunyiliCrosby create our portrait for the Obama Presidential Center. Her artistic brilliance shines through — and the way she infused such life and joy into the piece is truly extraordinary. We love it, and we think everyone who visits the Center will too!”
See video below.
