Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo was a Mexican artist who specialized in portraits. Her work was mostly inspired by nature and artifacts in Mexico while incorporating a sense of realism and fantasy within it. Based on the painting above, Frida incorporated her sense of realism in it by carving 'Viva La Vida' in the heart of the watermelon symbolizing her life. Frida was diagnosed with polio as a little girl and spent her whole coping with the pain and symptoms, but she did not let that deter her from the talented artist she could be. She was also hit by a bus seriously injuring her at the age of 18, but still again, she did not let that stop her from doing what she loved. For the remainder of her life, she created many more meaningful paintings and portraits that would last a life time while enduring the pain and medical problems she experienced growing up as a child. Overall, I connected with this piece the most because it reminded me that there is no reason why I can't do anything I set my mind to. It is mind over matter and anything can be achieved with determination and consistency.

Keith Haring

I found Keith Haring's work to be very interesting.  He first attended college in Pittsburg but shortly dropped out after two semesters because he didn't want to be another commercial graphic artist.  He then moved to New York where he found an alternative art community that were not doing there work in the studios, galleries, or museums.  This new community worked outside these places such as subways and the streets.  He was best known for his subway drawings, where he drew different pictures not he walls of the subway.  All of Haring's work are socially conscience and at some points controversial.  This picture is titled Rebel with many causes.  This picture symbolizes the phrase "hear no evil, see no evil, and speak no evil" which has to do people ignoring different important social aspects and acting like they are not real.

Frida Kahlo

I very much enjoy and appreciate work by Frida Kahlo because I feel as though she has a very unique approach. She uses symbolism to convey messages which I particularly enjoy. This painting, "Viva La Vida, Watermelons" is a symbol of Frida's life. She put the finishing touched on this artwork just eight days before her death (Lebowitz).Being of Mexican heritage, Frida would most likely follow the tradition of celebrating life as opposed to mourning death. This is evident by the phrase she writes in her native language, meaning "Long Live Life".  I believe the watermelons are a symbol of Frida's fruitful life that grew into something beautiful and of substance. I feel as though she made several watermelons in different shapes/ different cut designs in order to convey the various stages in her life, her ups and downs. I believe this to be true especially in the watermelon with very jagged edges, exemplifying hardships. These edges could very well symbolize Frida's early contraction of polio at age six that led to paralysis and eventual amputation of her right leg. Frida also suffered from several miscarriages and a near-death motor vehicle accident. Overall, I thoroughly enjoy her work, especially this last painting of hers.

Francis Bacon

This Francis Bacon painting is very intriguing. I love the use of shadowing and the lighting used in the painting. To me, it looks like a door that is in the middle of a beach and they sky is dark. I am a huge fan how he has a white and dark grey door next to each other. It adds a lot of contrast and it makes me think about the painting in a way I cannot describe.

Frida Kahlo

This painting was inspired by Georgia's O'Keeffe's painting about Magnolias. The difference is in Kahlo's painting the magnolias are only in the bud stage but in Georgia O'Keeffe's version, the flower is in full blossom. In Frida Kahlo's painting, in the center of the bunch of magnolias is a large pear cactus flower. This flower is extremely sensitive and when it bloomed the blossom last only a few hours. 

Marcel Duchamp

Fountain

Fountain, was produced by Marcel Duchamp in 1917. The reason why this piece of art intrigued me is because it is a part of a porcelain urinal, which was signed "R.Mutt". An interesting fact about this piece of art is that it was originally rejected from the Society of Independent Artist in 1917, even though the Society stated that they would take in any artwork as long as the artist paid the fee. It is regarded by art theorists and historians as a major landmark in 20th-century art. In the 1960s, Duchamp commissioned 17 replicas of the Fountain. It intrigues me how everyday items are pieces of art. 

JACKSON POLLOCK

 The Flame was painted by Jackson Pollock in 1938. Pollock was believed to have been inspired by a mural that José Clemente Orozco's had created named The Epic of American Civilization. I chose this painting, because of the colors he used. Most of his painting were similar to each other, but I found this one to be very different from the rest. It's also believed that in the fire, what is vaguely seen is a skeleton, I found that to be an interesting detail. Pollock was successful in making this appear as a fire even if the method was abstract. I personally consider abstract painting to be difficult and challenging, therefore seeing how greatly he was able to depict this fire is inspiring.

Bacon, Study of a Bull

Francis Bacon, Study of a Bull, 1991

This piece, by artists Francis Bacon, was located in a private collection and is now recognized as the last painting done before Bacon's death. Bacon is known for his raw imagery and his depiction of friends and religious symbols. Bacon's work contained geometrical shapes but the focus of the painting is usually an imperfect form of an object/person. His combination of precision and creativeness with shapes was interesting to see from piece to piece in combination with the color he used. 

Jackson Pollock

Jackson Pollock was a major figure in the abstract expressionist movement. In 1953 he painted this piece called "The Deep".  I researched that in the early 1950's Pollock was straying from the drip period to a period referred to as Black pourings. His work became darker in color, as this picture is.  Pollock was an alcoholic and during this time of his life he was personally lost and this picture may be meant to symbolize that.

Swallow's Tail

Above is the piece titled The Swallow's Tail by artist Salvador Dali, which was created in 1983. I chose this painting because I immediately thought about music when I saw the designs across the painting. This spoke to me because I played the violin for most of my life. I learned how to play when I was 8 and officially ended at the age of 17. I then read into the history of this piece and realized that Salvador Dali used the cello as the main subject manner. He attributes symbolic functions of sentiment rather than any musical presence. Although this paining lacks vivid colors,I thought it was interesting.

Jackson Pollock

Jackson Pollock was an American painter in the early to mid 1900s. Many of his works are in the form of abstract art, and he is most commonly know for his style of drip paintings, which I have shown above. Sadly, Pollock died at the young age of 44 due to an alcoholic related, single-car accident. In the car with him was he mistress, who survived the accident. His painting stand out to me because they can seem so simply done, yet he probably put much time and thought into them. Many people probably get the impression "Oh, I can do this", but if they tried it would not come out the same, or have the same meaning behind Pollocks.

Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter and known for her self-portraits. She painted using very bright and vibrant colors which embodied her Mexican culture. Many of her painting were said to express her pain and sexuality. The picture above is called Henry Ford Hospital which shows Kahlo in a hospital bed naked with several items around her including a fetus, a snail, a flower, a pelvis, etc. All these items are connected to her by veinlike looking strings. This painting was meant to tell the story of her miscarriage.

Keith Haring

At a young age, Keith Haring developed a love for drawing and learning basic cartooning skills from his father and the popular culture surrounding him, such as Walt Disney and Dr. Seuss. In the 1980's, Haring’s artwork became popular all around the world. All of his paintings portray serious messages. A famous painting of his is “Untitled” that was created in 1982.  This image is so innocent yet so controversial. It represents two homosexual men in love and it becoming a bold statement to the world. At this time, homosexuality was not really accepted, and by Haring creating an image that represents this type of love was really courageous. Haring’s hopeful attitude towards humanity and the power of love is seen throughout all of his paintings.

Jackson Pollock

(Above is artwork Number 5)
 Jackson Pollock was born on January 28, 1912  and died on August 11, 1956 in a car accident.  He was an American painter and a major figure in the abstract expression movement. He was well known for his unique style of drip style.  He had been reported to of had a nasty personality and also struggled with alcoholism for most of his life.  His most famous paintings were from his "drip period style" between 1947-1950.  His darker paintings started after that and no one wanted to buy his darker works because they were not the traditional "Pollock paintings".  He met Lee Krasner in 1942 and when the couple married it was believed that both influenced each others styles of painting.   Sadly, Pollock passed away from a car accident in 1956 which was caused by alcoholism.  I believe that his last work showed that he was troubled and depressed over something.  He had returned to darker colors but with his drip style.   I believe this artist had great potential and was taken away too soon.

Keith Haring

Keith Haring who is one of the best known contemporary artists in the world. He created and donated this logo which is called Best Buddies. It is a colorful creation that represents one-to-one affection and acceptance. This logo is licensed and managed by the Keith Haring Foundation. Keith Haring's art work is simple but spot on. It captures concepts well. Throughout his life he spent most of his time on public works, which was mostly social messages. He produced more than 50 works between 1982-1989, in dozen on cities across the world. Many of the works created for charities, hospitals, children's day care centers, and orphanages. I think his work is simple but can relay a great message and the message comes across easy.

Jackson Pollock

Jackson Pollock was an American painter known for his works as a Abstract Expressionist artist. He was very much known for his unique style of drip painting. At the age of 44, Pollock died in an alcohol-related single-car accident when he was driving while his lover, Ruth Kilgman survived. The painting above, Red, Black & Silver (1956), was his last known work before his death but it created much controversy. The painting did not show the tighter drips and all-over chaos that usually represented his work, it is composed of loose drips of red and a black blotch. The authenticity has been declined by the Pollock-Krasner Authentication Board, but forensic evidence has been found that can support its authentication as they found Pollock’s hair and bits of sand from his local beach, as well as polar bear hair believed to be from Pollock’s polar bear rug.

Marcel Duchamp

This sculpture by Marcel Duchamp is called Prelude to a Broken Arm. It is made out of wood, on the handle of the snow shovel it says from Marcel Duchamp 1915. He named this sculpture Prelude to a Broken Arm because without a shovel you may just slip on the snow and break your arm. Right now this sculpture is presented at the Israel Museum. I chose this piece of his work because 

I thought it was funny, he hung a simple snow shovel in his studio and now it is a well known expensive piece of art. Sometimes I do not really understand the concept of "art" but I guess that is what makes it art!!

Frida Kahlo, Viva La Vida, Watermelons, 1954

First of all this painting caught my eye as soon as I saw it.Viva La Vida, Watermelons, 1954 by Frida Kahlo is very confusing at first. How can one person represent their last few days of life by watermelons. Most people would think about sad, dark colors while Frida Kahlo did many vibrant colors that are very eye catching. As I read the article I know understand what the art depicts now. First of all "Viva la Vida" means long live life. Also the watermelons are a big part of the day of the dead that is celebrated in Mexico. Which is known to celebrate and not mourn death. I believe she wanted people to not be upset but to celebrate her life and this painting depicted that. This is an amazing way to look at death.

Francis Bacon

Francis Bacon was an Irish artist and was one unique painter that emerged during the post-war period. He moved to England as a self taught artist and became apart of the local art scene. His latest painting above is called Study of a Bull. Bacon had an interest in bullfighting and also after the death of his lover, his art became more personalized focusing on mortality. He painted this artwork while his health was deteriorating and his artwork reflected this. The bull is a symbol of male virility. You can see in the painting that the bull known for its strength is fading caught between a black and white era(life and death) This could mean that since Bacon knew he was dying and was weak, he knew in time that he would be heading into the light.

Frida Kahlo

The artist that really stood out to me was Frida Kahlo and her still life painting of watermelons. The paining presented is one called "Coconuts" and also includes watermelons. This caught my eye and seems to have some connection to her final artwork. In the painting you can see some form of human animation on one of the coconuts. If you look closely you can actually see tears falling from what can be seen as an eye. I thought that this was very in tune with her emotions at the time and gives her final painting even more significance and a story.          

Marcel DuChamp

I really loved Marcel DuChamp's last work. It included a door that lead to a 3D tableau, which I think was revolutionary for his time. Above in another work done by the artist titled, "Yvonne (in kimono)." I think this is a really beautiful, simple piece of work that I would hang in my house. The colors are so simplistic, but the way he brings attention to the women is great. I also really loved that his work really changed and developed over his lifetime. This piece and his last piece are so different and I really appreciate it. 

Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo was diagnosed with Polio at a young age and then was tragically hit by a bus that left her in much pain for some time. Painting that was her hobby became her life. In the 1920 - 1930's she travled through mexico. The Mexican culture inspired her self portraits. She had married another artist Diego Rivera, who always seemed to outshine her but now she is considered to be an icon for feminists and LGBTQ community. In this paiting "viva la vida" meaning Long live life, Kahlo wrote her name in the watermelon and the place that this was created. This was done only a few days before she died at a young ago of 47. Interestingly enough watermelons are associated with the Day of the Dead a holiday that is celebrated in Mexico. All the different shapes of watermelon I think represent the different stages that Frida went through to become the person she was at then end of her life.

Francis Bacon,Study of the Bull

Francis Bacon was a self-taught painter, who was inspired by Picasso with his work and his career ran parallel to Picassos. Francis Bacon's painting often reflected the same themes and styles of the Picasso. Bacon traveled in the 1950s and 1960s, where he spent time in different places like southern France, Spain and Monaco. Through his travel around the world he became obsessed with bullfighting. Francis Bacon obsession with bullfighting and his admiration for Picasso influenced his many themes of paintings on bullfighting’s. The latest painting in his career is the Study of a Bull, 1991. The bull is a symbol of male virility. During this time his bull paintings became an image of a beast with loss of the brute strength. He became weak during his last work from pneumonia and so his painting reflected that. The bull in the Study of a Bull, seems to be emerging from a black rectangle towards the light. However, the bull is also disappearing into the white. This painting correlates to the bullfights as the animal emerges from the darkness or the bulls holding pen into the light of the massive area where the bullfighter is waiting. The painting is not clear as if the bull was trying to enter or escape the ring, but this could have been him expressing that he was aware he was dying.

Last Paintings

Read teh following article and choose the artist whose last work you liked best.  Research teh artist and present a work by them.



https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-final-artworks-8-famous-artists-frida-kahlo-mark-rothko

Leonardo Da Vinci

Leonardo Da Vinci was well known in the italian renaissance for specializing in invention, painting, sculpting, architecture, science, music, engineering, and more. This drawing is titled "View of a Skull" and it was created in the year 1489. I am a huge fan of how much Da Vinci detailed the skull and captured the anatomy of it. I also like the use of light and darkness in the drawing. Overall, I think the drawing is quite extraordinary and I have been looking at other drawings created by him as well. 

Marie-Guilhelmine Benoist

This portrait is titled the 'dune négresse' which was painted with oils on a canvas in the 1800s by a famous artist named Marie-Guilhelmine Benoist. Benoist fit in with the middle and upper class ideal of "womanhood" in that she conformed to the social expectations of women to marry, raise children, and forego a career. With that being said, this painting was seen as a voice of protest in discourse over human bondage. This portrait now represents the celebration of the abolishment of slavery in the colonies by the French Revolution.  Based on all of this, I wanted to do something to embrace the African American culture to bring awareness to black history; not just because its black history month but because black history should be acknowledged all the time . With that being said, I want to  draw a side profile of an African woman using color pencils to elaborate on the skin pigmentation and head wrap.

Rembrandt

The image presented is a self-portrait of Rembrandt van Rijn. In the self protrait he uses the technique of hatching. He is a Dutch artist known for a variety of styles from painting to drawing. Rembrandt is best known, however, for self portraits and Biblical scenes. He is considered one of the greatest painters in European history. His artwork is very epensive and goes up to as much as thirty million dollars.

Thomas Cole

Thomas Cole was an American artist that was known for his landscape and historical paintings.  His work is also known for its romantic portrayal of the American wilderness.  In addition, Cole is known as the founder of the Hudson River School.  I think Cole's paintings are beautiful and very detailed.  I enjoy the detail he puts into each painting and the history of each painting.

Paul Cezanne

Paul Cezanne was a distinguished French artist of the Post Impressionist Era. His work linked Impressionism, abstraction, and other materialist movements. He influenced many developing 20th century artists and movements especially Cubism. He did a lot of still life paintings which is what i will be doing for my midterm. He often used planes of colors and small brushstrokes to create complex fields. Still life was a very important genre for him and he made over 200 paintings like this over the decades. The one above is ''Still life with apples''.

Edward Hopper

In 1942 Edward Hopper, an American painter, created this piece titled, "Nighthawks." In this painting, Hopper creates a setting in which two customers are facing the waiter/bartender and another customer who is not. The diner/pub the individuals are in is brightly lit, while it is dark outside. Many believe that Hopper is portraying the idea of separation and feeling of isolation. This is believed to be true due to the fact that this painting was completed during the time of World War II, a time when Americans felt isolated from the rest of the world. Although I will not be recreating this exact piece for my midterm project, I would like to implement the basic principle and techniques used by Hopper to convey a message of my own. I work in a restaurant at home where my friends there are a lot like family. Some of my best friends have come to this country through the standardized immigration process whereas some of my friends have came here illegally. Many of them cannot drive/ obtain a driver's license or receive medical care when often needed. They live in fear of being caught and being deported to their homeland. They are all great people who have come here to better not only their own lives, but mostly their families back home. Although they are living in a beautiful country like America (bright), they themselves struggle internally (dark, isolated). I would like to portray the loneliness they feel and that I feel for them. I will be receiving photographs from a friend of mine who is originally from Guatemala. I will be recreating a photograph he sends me while incorporating Hopper's unique style. 

The Blue Vase

I am choosing this oil painting titled The Blue Vase by painter Paul Cezanne. Rather than representing the flowers in bloom, Cezanne was more focused on the colors and lighting of this painting. About ten years prior to him creating this painting, he produced many still lives of flowers. For this photo, he did the same thing but added some apples on the table. He once said, "I'm giving up flowers. They wither too quickly. Fruits are more reliable." I really love the pop of colors and I can't wait to attempt to recreate this.

Jacob Lawrence

Jacob Lawrence was an African American painter who was known for portraying African American life in his paintings. In this painting, “Olympic Games Munich 1972 (Olympische Spiele Munchen 1972)” he paints the faces of five runners taking a giant stride around the curve of the track as they head towards the finish line. Each athlete is shown in a different position as they head down the start way. This painting takes place in the 1972 summer Olympic Games in Munich, Germany. I like this painting because each one of the runners has the Olympic colors on them, such as the colors red, blue, green, yellow, and black. I think it is interesting that he was able to capture the different emotions that all of the runners are feeling as they finish the race. I hope I am able to do that for my midterm project. 

Jay McClellan

Jay McClellan's studio is located in Philadelphia. He got the inspiration to start painting dogs when his mother passed away because dogs are what makes him happiest. At first he would only paint his own dogs against wallpaper like backgrounds, now he is the go to guy in Philly to have a painting done of your cat or dog. Most of Jays paintings are done in his home because he thinks a studio is very distracting. Almost all of McClellan's paintings are of a dog that is big and in the center of the painting and in the background he paints a very bold colored pattern because he wants "to create exciting visual combinations."

Claude Monet

Claude Monet was one of the many founders of Impressionism. Nature was very appealing to the impressionists. Impressionism started when several painters began using natural methods of lighting their work and looking at the world in a different way. Impressionists paint landscape and outdoor scenes that appeal to them. I would like to paint my midterm project from his landscape of the ocean and cliffs. The colors really caught my eye. I love the ocean because it is so calming and relaxing. 

Paul Cezanne

Paul Cezanne was a French post-impressionist painter during the 19th to early 20th century. For many of his still life's he used short,"hatched" paint strokes that almost looked as if he was constructing the picture rather than painting it. What I like most about his painting is that each of the apples has different dimensions which makes it different from the rest, so it really gives the painting a distinct look. The mix of colors he uses in his paintings separate him from other artists. Cezanne's work is also said to viewed as "pivotal step" leading to the abstract art of the 20th century.

Edgar Degas

For my midterm, the artist given to me was Edgar Douglas. He was a French artist in the mid to late 1800s. He created many paintings, sculptures and drawings. When i looked up a lot of his work, I saw that he painted a lot of dancers. Although for my midterm project, I am not painting a dancer, my image that I plan on projecting can be similar to his paintings. I plan on projecting an image of myself before my last race of swimming. I feel as though these relate because they are both about the individual being focused on and the detail about the individual, while some of the background in included but the very detailed background may be out of focus.

Alice Neel

Alice Neel moved to Spanish Harlem after living in Greenwich Village. In "Alice Childress"  she paints a portrait of a playwright, who at the time was just starting off but later went onto writing well known plays and novels such as "Like one in the family." I really like the colors in this portrait. In the front of the portrait there is only primary colors, red, yellow, blue. In the background there is a teal green in the flower vase and the color of the wall is a aqua blue. I also really like the details of her fingernails being painted, the necklace and the earrings.

Thomas Cole

Thomas Cole was the founder of the Hudson River School of Romantic landscapes. He was a self-taught artist and a nature enthusiast. He lived in a time where settlers only admired nature when it was used for plantations and gardens. But in1830, after settlers started pushing westward, the wilderness became a symbol of America's unspoiled national character and an artist's inspiration. Romantic painting in America encompassed two subjects: nature and the natural man. Cole would hike around, through all four seasons, sketching untouched natural scenes which he then portrayed the mood of those places into oil paintings. For my midterm, I would like to paint a picture I took of a landscape that is part of the Arches National Park in Moab, Utah. 

Claude Monet

Claude Monet was recognized as being one of the founders of Impressionism. Impressionism got its start when several painters began using natural methods of lighting their work and looking at the world with freshness. Impressionists generally paint landscape and outdoor scenes, they generally work for a very short period of time and then stop as the light changes. Monet found subjects in his immediate surroundings as he painted the people and places he knew best. His landscapes were based on his journeys around the north of France and to London and his return to France after the Franco-Prussian War.  His paintings reflect the areas of Argenteuil, and Giverny, France. His series of the Poppies, really interested me as it reminds me of a local nature persevere from home. I would like to do my midterm project on a landscape scene inspired by Claude Monet’s, Poppy Field.

Paul Cezanne

Paul Cezanne was a french painter famous for his incredibly varied painting style, which greatly influenced 20th century abstract art. Cezanne used short, hatched brush strokes to help ensure surface unity in his work. Also to model individual masses and spaces as if they themselves were carved out of paint. He achieved flatness spatiality through his use of color, while unifying and establishing surface, and affects views of space and volume. Cezanne did a lot of still life painting which is what I will be doing for my midterm.

Diane Arbus Work

Child with Toy Hand Grenade in Central Park, NYC by Diane Arbus

This picture was taken in 1962 of Colin Wood whose parents had just gotten a divorce. You can see the frustration in his stature and facial expression. Diane Arbus is known for her subject category in that she chose to photograph people whom the world didn't want to see. She selected transgenders, circus performers, people with disabilities, etc. to give a spotlight to those who are not necessarily recognized by society. I like this picture and the idea of her work because she didn't consider the external or societal definition of beauty but instead, her own ideas. This picture really depicts the emotion of the child and his need to connect and it invokes thought about looking beyond stereotypes. 

Claude Monet

Claude Monet was the founder of French Impressionist painting, and the most consistent and prolific practitioner of the movement's philosophy of expressing one's perceptions before nature, especially as applied to landscape painting. His technique of painting is unique and he mixes many colors to create dimensions.  The landscapes that Monet paints are gorgeous and take your breath away.  For my midterm, I would like to paint a landscape from Monet's enormous collection.  I love the beach and sailboats and thought the picture above was perfect!

Wassily Kandinsky

Wassily Kandinsky

Wassily Kandinsky was one of the pioneers of abstract modern art. He used color and form to evoke sight, sound, and emotion from the public. He was greatly inspired to create art that communicated with the sense of spirituality. He loved painting and desired to convey spirituality through abstract colors and forms that transcended physical and cultural boundaries. For my midterm project, I desire to create a piece of art similar to the style of Kandinsky's art displayed above. I enjoy this style of abstract art because it evokes emotion from people and is very intriguing to me.

Edgar Degas

Degas was a French artist famous for his paintings, sculptures, paintings, and drawings. He is especially identified with the subject of dance; more than half of his works depict dancers. He is regarded as one of the founders of Impressionism, although he rejected the term, preferring to be called a realist. I decided to pick Edgar's paintings since ballet was one of my favorite things to do. 

Paul Cezanne

Since learning about Paul Cezanne two semesters ago in Modern Art, I have enjoyed researching his work and incorporating it into any free assignments that we are given. Paul Cezanne was a post impressionist painter. Paul Cezanne painted many still lifes with fruits such as pears, apples, cherries, and oranges. For my midterm I want to paint a basket of oranges with bananas. I can take my own picture for the next class and begin my painting with darker colors like Cezanne did.

Alice Neel

This painting is titled, "Dana Gordon" and is painted by Alice Neel. She is known for painting portraits of all kinds of people: friends, family, strangers, etc. Her painting use a lot of bold colors and lines. The people in her portraits are often distorted and lie somewhere between realistic and cartoon-ish. her use of shading and highlights really brings these individuals to life. Aside from this, her portraits evoke strong emotions. She somehow captures real feeling in all of them. I really like her portraits because they capture people in their natural habit and portray their natural faces, rather than being posed to smile.

The Annotated Mona Lisa

Use the following link to a PDF of the text that highlights many academic historic painters.

https://www.bxscience.edu/ourpages/auto/2013/4/28/46164969/The%20Annotated%20Mona%20Lisa.pdf

Barack Obama

I chose to write about President Barack Obama because I found his portrait to be very intriguing. This portrait is very warm, appealing, and inviting with the color choices; yet it makes you wonder many things like: what is he doing and why is there a garden like image behind him. I believe the way President Obama was positioned in the chair and the facial expression he holds in this artwork signifies his role as our leader. President Barack Obama listened to the peoples wants, cries, and needs and tried his best to satisfy all. In this portrait, President Barack Obama is intently listening to his audience. Also after doing a little research, I discovered why a garden was placed behind him. The garden represents his growth and journey in each place he grew up in (Hawaii, Chi-town, and Kenya) which soulfully defines who he is today. This diversity not only represents him and his journey but the wisdom he obtained, lessons he learned, and flourishment that occurred at the end of each location brining him to where he is now.  

Michelle Obama

I chose this portrait because it was intriguing to me. The woman that created this portrait is named Amy Sherald. The dress that is shown here was created by Michelle Smith. It was a "forward looking" dress and did not reference anything from the past. To me it was interesting because there are so many pictures of Michelle Obama, but this one shows a different side of her. I loved the choice of making her skin a grey color. This goes to show that race should not be based upon color. I also liked that this was not a traditionally portrait, but rather it is progressive and forward thinking.

Barack Obama

This portrait by Kehinde Wiley displays a very creative and accurate representation of Barack Obama. The flowers represent an accurate depiction of where Obama is from, which is Hawaii. I love the style the artist drew Obama in. The leaves around Obama add a cool three dimensional effect to the drawing and bring it more alive. I am also a huge fan of how the artist threw in different color flowers surrounding Obama to make it look more beautiful. This piece of art is extremely clear and unique. I hope to find other pieces like this in the future. 

Barak Obama

This portrait was done by Kehinde Wiley from California.  This portrait depicts Barak Obama in a black suit, surrounded by different flowers.  My favorite part about this portrait is that each of the flowers has a connection to Obama.  The jasmine white flowers represent Hawaii where Obama was born, while the blue lilies represent Kenya where Obama's father was born, and the orange chrysanthemums represent Chicago where Obama began his career in politics.  I think this is a beautiful portrait that has a lot of meaning hidden inside it.