Nigerian artist Njideka Akunyili-Crosby has painted the official portraits of former US President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, for the Obama Presidential Centre.
The Obama Foundation has built the Barack Obama Presidential Centre at 6001 S. Stony Island Avenue in Chicago. The centre will be officially opened on 19 June.
The almost 20-acre site is more than just a museum. It includes art installations, a new library, a basketball court, and a picnic area with grills.
Mrs Obama announced the portraits in a video shared on her Instagram page on Monday. The video shows her, Mr Obama, and the 43-year-old artist walking through the library to where the painting is displayed.
In the video, Mr Obama and Michelle, both already in Chicago for the grand opening, called the portrait fantastic and beautiful.
"Oh! My God, you got everything in there. My only real question is, how come you didn’t dye my hair in the program? Don’t they usually touch it up a little bit?" Mr Obama joked.
Barack Obama, Michelle and Njideka Akunyili-Crosby (Credit_ Instagram@obamafoundation)
Mrs Obama shared that she has wanted Njideka Akunyili-Crosby to paint her portrait for a long time.
"You know how long I’ve been wanting this woman to do something with and for me? It was an honour. I mean, we did it," she said.
Drawing Process
The Enugu-born artist called the painting both rewarding and challenging. She said it pushed her beyond her comfort zone and demanded her best work.
"So I drew first of the two of you. We read all your books, listened to all the interviews you’ve done, and watched all the podcasts and videos. My whole studio got to know you.
"I wanted to make these decisions that tapped into those memories. So when you saw this, it felt familiar," she explained.
In 2017, PREMIUM TIMES reported that Ms Akunyili-Crosby, daughter of the late Nigerian information minister, Dora Akunyili, won the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship.
This foundation awards a $625,000 grant to artists, writers, teachers, scientists, and others who show exceptional creativity.
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