Following the request to our readers to share with us their thoughts on Obama’s official portrait, we received the following commentary.
We have decided to share it unedited with our readers.
The opinions contained in the piece are solely that of the writer.
Nii B. Andrews.
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A MATTER OF SYMBOLISM IN OBAMA’S OFFICIAL PORTRAIT.
By E. Ablorh-Odjidja.
There are very few fields as rich in symbolism as the arts. And painting, I dare say, is the most dominant one in this aspect.
So Obama’s portrait, by the painter Kehinde Wiley, is going to be subject to symbolic scrutiny.
A reviewer must be careful and not flippant is what one can ask at this stage.
The reason being this work of art is not a matter between the artist and the person represented in the painting. It is a matter between all of us, especially those of us in the black world, the artist and his subject.
It, therefore, makes it necessary to ask whether Kehinde’s work should merit standing as the official portrait of the first black president of the United States.
As much as I would like to have this work by Kehinde burnt, as Winston Churchill was purported to have done to his first official portrait, I still would love to have this work buried somewhere deep within the earth’s bowel to remain there undigested by any mind from the art history world now.
Or wait for a more charitable interpreter of the symbolism found in this painting by Kehinde.
For now, it is horrifying to think of the symbolisms that have already been gotten out of this one work and the more minds out there that are seeking interpretations to destroy.
A legacy overwhelmed with foliage?
The jungle takes back its own?
Others are already describing the painting as the sixth finger man aberration.
We can only hope that there are reviewers out there who can come up with interpretations more refreshing or as verdant as the thick foliage surrounding Obama in this official portrait.
If so, then these reviewers must go to work now – fast!
But is it necessary for Kehinde to start us on this path of guessing games? Why make a historical figure more controversial; for artistic notoriety or what?
On the matter of symbolism, it must be realized that there are few personalities of our generation of whom God the creator has made more opportune and historic; and, therefore, more symbolic. Obama is one of these critically few personalities.
Obama is the first black African-American president. He doesn’t own that pride alone. We share it equally with him.
And neither does Kehinde own this right, through artistic freedom to toy with this pride for all of us. Obama’s image should not be a figure for experimentation!
The groundbreaking nature of Obama presidency, the symbolism of which is already done is what we ought to seek to burnish or preserve with the painting.
For an official portrait of such a personality of providence, I would expect a dominant image of a man, right at the center, with nothing else like foliage overwhelming this image. A minimalist background and a flawless execution of detail, even if rendered in the abstract, is what would have been satisfying.
This above approach would allow little room for distortion and abusive interpretation. But the opposite is exactly what Kehinde has done.
E. Ablorh-Odjidja
February 13, 2018
Critique is just that .. critique!
This painting is not ‘ambitious’ for a reason , and expresses the enigma of the man!
There is no ground plane , and his chair appears to be floating on cloud of leaves .
It forces viewer to focus less on the man but query what the hidden meaning is.
In this era of blunt talk underpinned by crudeness , this painting best captures the allure and mystery of Obama!
His persona is all that , in my mind , this painting alludes to- “do not pigeon me . I fly above it all in my classic demure space.”
An official portrait should be exactly what it is meant to be, and not an experiment in symbolism ……this is my opinion.
I lean towards the sentiments expressed in the commentary.
I believe the artist did a very good job base on technically aspects of the painting and been able to depict his signature (his style) in the work which any artist will love to do. But in rendering that signature seems problematic because the colour intensive was too strong for the figure (Obama) making it look like he was ambush in the painting.