Changing the Art on the White House Walls

Wall Street Journal ^ | May 22, 2009 | Amy Chozick and Kelly Crow

[C19fan]

Barack Obama is taking on health care, financial regulation, torture and environmental policy. He’s also revamping the White House art collection.

The Obamas are sending ripples through the art world as they put the call out to museums, galleries and private collectors that they’d like to borrow modern art by African-American, Asian, Hispanic and female artists for the White House. In a sharp departure from the 19th-century still lifes, pastorals and portraits that dominate the White House’s public rooms, they are choosing bold, abstract art works.

[mojitojoe]

[mojitojoe]

[Cecily]

Do you think Zerobama would be fooled if we sent him a boatload of this stuff by the famous Hispanic artist Tomas Kinkada? This is a picture of a barrio along the Rio Grande River.

[mojitojoe]

Abstract Michelle:

[Skenderbej]

I, nor my wife, are offended if people don’t like her work. In fact, we’ve met only a couple of artists who like what she does. They always call it “copy work”. It is true that her stuff looks realistic, but that’s what she enjoys doing. It also happens that 99 percent of non-artists love her work.

What put me off was that you automatically assumed that she projected the picture on a canvas and just copied it. Maybe that’s how your friends do their work, but its not how my wife does it. Maybe they don’t have the skill to look and imitate what they see without a projector. I would still like to see some of your work, or a piece that isn’t boring to you.

[Las Vegas Ron]

Coming from a "supposed" artist and a long time FReeper, your post is the rudest, most boorish post I've ever seen here.

No class pal, absolutely none

[AuntB]

“that they’d like to borrow modern art by African-American, Asian, Hispanic and female artists for the White House. “

African-American, Hispanic art? Any city in the USA could send him miles of the graffiti that is covering everything.

[Anti-Hillary]

I could not agree more with LV Ron.

Was it REALLY necessary to actually type out and send your thoughts Ditter? They would have been much better kept to yourself. It has been my experience that when someone puts down someone else, they only do it to try and elevate themselves because they lack confidence in their own abilities and talents.

[Aria]

Those are nice!

[El Gato]

Over there is the picture of Allah.

No, not that. Pictures of Allah and/or Mohammad are strictly verboten. In fact so are pictures of anyone, but depictions of those two are "instant riot" material.

[RetSignman]

[El Gato]

I like that. Who did it, and when, is there some context to it's creation?

[DoughtyOne]

;-)

[Bush Revolution]

[Bush Revolution]

[Girlene]

Here's one of the new paintings: Ed Ruscha’s ‘I Think I’ll...’ (1983)

[ichabod1]

I’m just wondering if they’ve installed all-white furniture yet.

[Walmartian]

[Don W]

Is that “Terrence and Philip?

[Don W]

WOW, the stories in that man’s face! The hat, the blazer, the undershirt all have tales to tell. The work is well-served with the indistinct background, it’s almost too busy now. The medals are almost a distraction.

A powerful, amazing portrait. Thank you for sharing that.