Obama's Portrait

The artist, Kehinde Wiley did an amazing job with capturing Obama, I loved how the portrait was more than just a portrait, but it symbolized Obama's background. During the unveiling of the portraits Wiley explained how the portrait evoked both him and Barack Obama, as they had many similarities. The portrait displays botanicals that correspond to the former president’s personal story. The portrait includes chrysanthemums which are the official flower of Chicago, as well as African Blue lilies that hint at Kenya, his father’s birthplace.  Jasmine was also incorporated to represent his birthplace, Hawaii. The artist explains that he is charting Obama's path on earth, and the plants that weaved their way through him and the foreground. The plants are trying to display themselves all around him and the portrait questions who gets to be the star of the show, the story or the man who inhabits that story.  I found this artwork to be incredible and the use of symbolism as a nod to Barack Obama’s background to be touching and clever.