New First Lady Michelle Obama's first portrait

[sabra]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thedishrag/2008/11/new-first-lady.html

New First Lady Michelle Obama's first portrait



W magazine recently commissioned a portrait of Michelle Obama by Elizabeth Peyton.

Now it’s on view at the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York until January 11.

Laura Hoptman, curator of "Live Forever: Elizabeth Peyton,” (which opened Oct 8) decided that the nonpartisan museum would hang the portrait only if Barack Obama won the election.

Which he did, in a bit of a landslide.

Peyton has painted John Lennon, Prince William and others and is known for giving her subjects an androgynous appearance.

This portrait was done from a photo of Sasha Obama resting on Michelle’s lap at the DNC, listening to her dad speak.

[busymom]

1. Why did the artist

make the facial features look so harsh and angry? This is so NOT Michelle Obama!

[RollWithIt]

7. The artist always does that... it's her style...

Anyways, I liked the painting.

[LittleClarkie]

48. She doesn't ALWAYS do that.

Does Kerry look angry in my sig pic?

[nomaco-10]

42. I don't see angry. I see contemplation and resolve....

I guess art is subjective. I like it.

[Hepburn]

2. It's horrible....

...sorry, but I do not like it at all. IMO, it makes a very beautiful woman look ugly.

:thumbsdown:

[maxsolomon]

3. Peyton is big-time in the Art World

but i'm not exactly sure why.

Give me Jeff Koons any day of the week! Now THAT'S art! ;)

[Essene]

13. it's not particularly good by peyton standards...

and i personally find it fairly uninspiring.

[surrealAmerican]

52. My assessment too.

She's done better.

[Window]

23. I agree.

[sammytko]

4. I love it. She does not look harsh and angry - .

[Merlot]

5. Working from a single photograph is never a good idea

this is kind of lazy portraiture if I may say so. Not that I expect the artist to actually get a sitting with Michelle, but there is plenty reference around so that she could have done something unique.

This looks like a photograph with photoshop filters. Sorry.

Though I don't think Michell looks angry, I don't see any emotion in her face. The daughter looks like she fell over sideways from boredom.

[marimour]

6. i like it

[azmouse]

8. It gets a thumbs down from me.

Why do these artists always make this beautiful, intelligent woman look, well... kinda strange?

[kirby]

9. The 'angry faces' were from THIS ORIGINAL...

[Kind of Blue]

14. To me, this photo is just beautiful and infinitely more inspiring.

[blondeatlast]

18. She looks thoughtful in the photo, angry in the portrait and they didn't capture the Sasha well

at all. Nothing wrong with showing the sweetness of a tired child.

[kwassa]

19. The photo is much better than the painting

and Sasha is a big part of it.

[kirby]

20. Personally, the artist ruined Sasha's look...

Michelle's was closer. But all in all, why would you use this particular photo as your inspiration?

[kwassa]

28. well, it is better than that horrible "bust" of Michelle

that was floating around here .... the sculpture of her with a head wrap and big bare imaginary breasts, all in bronze. That was truly screwball, and made me seriously wonder about the psychological issues of the artist.

Right now, good photos do Michelle the greatest justice.

I love this picture from their wedding:

[kirby]

36. Oh yeah, that guy...

He (Daniel Edwards) was the same oddball who did the Hillary Clinton bust. Oddly, he gave Hillary breasts that were close to perfect/young, completely at odds with the rest of the sculpture. He did a weird 'Oprah Sarcophagus' too and a Suri Cruise 'First Poop'. Odd artist fellow...

[NashVegas]

39. Breasts Aside, I Preferred The Bust

To the above painting.

[dana_b]

46. I agree

in the photo Sasha looks a little tired, maybe bored. In the painting she looks sad. Oh well... it is all up to the artist's interpretation.

[surrealAmerican]

54. I agree.

The photo also seems to have a very "painterly" quality about it.

[Occam Bandage]

50. In which neither look angry. nt

[oldtime dfl_er]

10. I appreciate the art itself

but I think they both look bored. Not very inspiring.

[sammytko]

12. She is not bored - just waiting to exhale - her mom had the same look

when Michelle was speaking. Everyone thought she was mad, but she was just so nervous and wanted her daughter to make a good impression. After it was over she smiled. Michelle has the same look - nervous for Barack - don't make a mistake - I'm holding my breath til it is over!

[Kind of Blue]

11. Can't stand this artist's work.

To me, always looks amateurish and unfinished.

[Starry Messenger]

15. I appreciate that they tried for something different.

I get tired of the official White House style. But this is not all that great. It looks more like an illustration and only has one kid in it. I hope more artists will step up.

[Essene]

16. it's pop illustration...

YEA I SAID IT. :D

[Starry Messenger]

21. I'm looking on google at more of her work.

I'd have to agree. It's not one of her better pieces either or that's just a tremendously bad photo of the piece.

[Thrill]

17. Sorry but thats fucking horrible. Michelle is a beautiful woman

she looks like shit in that photo.

[Occam Bandage]

22. I am not exactly a fan of this painting.

It is flattering to neither Michelle nor Sasha, nor does it bring out anything I can see in either of them.

[Phoonzang]

24. Eww.... nt

[mr1956]

25. Not a fan

I think the "portrait" could have been softened had the artist used the pose in the photo, with Michelle having a protective hand on Sasha's shoulder. In the "portrait" the figure has a clinched fist, a cue to see anger where there is none. The body language in the picture shows Michelle leaning back in the chair rather than interacting in any way with her child. And her rendition of Sasha is just horrible.

Any pop artist will take liberties but I think her choices missed the true spirit of the moment.

[fed_up_mother]

29. I agree. I wouldn't pay $5.00 for that piece of work

It makes her look angry and withdrawn. The artist purposely exaggerated the print of her dress to make her dress look more like modern African dress, which is not how Michelle dresses - at least not now. The author was obviously making a statement about Michelle's heritage, and that's fine - but didn't capture her spirit. Pity.

[mindfulNJ]

26. hmmm...

I wonder if the artist has the permission of the original AP photographer . As a pro photographer myself, I think I'd be pretty PO'ed.

[happychatter]

27. That portrait of her and Barack dancing was WAY better - NT

[sammytko]

30. I see it as a modern Black Madonna with Child - beautiful!

[lunatica]

31. The technique is good. I like the brushstrokes and the use of colors but

I'm not crazy about the composition or the lack of capturing anything about the subjects. This doesn't capture a true moment that speaks to the viewer. The evidence is that people can't really decide whether Michelle looks angry or not. And Sasha is depicted with even less essence in the portrait. The photograph is good because it does capture a moment and has included other people who enhance that moment. Not all photographs become art when they are copied into paintings.

[Uzybone]

32. Really bad n/t

[psychmommy]

33. i think it sucks.

it does not show michelle's arm around the child. it loses the warmth of that moment between mom and kid. it makes the child appear petulant, that is not what i read from the photo. it fails to show michelle's legs. she was looking sexy but appropriate. this portrait captured nothing from the photo. very disappointing.

[AyanEva]

34. You know...

I minored in art history so I can appreciate different artistic styles...


But this painting is FUGLY.

Burn it! Burn it with fire!

[City Lights]

35. I'm unimpressed.

:thumbsdown:

[codjh9]

37. Hell, I could do better than that! (Seriously)

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

38. She looks tired and Sasha looks unhappy. Would a smile hurt?

Thumbs down...

[LittleClarkie]

40. She also painted John Kerry

My sig is by Elizabeth Peyton

[Starry Messenger]

41. Where did it go?

I love that painting. I didn't know that was hers.

[LittleClarkie]

44. It was part of an exhibit called "Electoral Collage" in 2004

The New York Times reported on it right around the convention that year. I clipped it out of the newspaper and found it online so I could use it for a sig. I love it too.

Not sure what you mean by "where did it go" though.

[Starry Messenger]

45. I'm not seeing your sig pic right now. Odd.

Maybe my browser is blocking it for some reason. I'm at a different computer today. That's probably it.

[LittleClarkie]

47. Try refreshing while holding down the shift key

otherwise yeah, it's probably being blocked for some reason. It's there for me.

[Occam Bandage]

49. There for me, too.

[NashVegas]

43. Admirable Brush Technique

Poor choice of composition, IMO.

Unless the exact title is, "Portrait of Michelle Obama Looking Stressed Out At a Campaign Rally."

[madaboutharry]

51. I don't like it.

I think Michelle looks annoyed.

[bighart]

53. My personal take is that

this is done in an impressionistic style and needs to be viewed as such. Impressionistic art is supposed to evoke emotion not simply mirror reality, and based on the reaction here I would say well done.