Art Changes at the Obama White House

by Frank Liao | October 7, 2009 at 02:03 pm

135 views | 24 Recommendations | 0 comments

Just like any other couple who moves into a new house, the Obamas have been busying themselves with putting up new artworks in their new home, the White House. The President doesn't purchase the artworks but instead asks museums to lend it to the White House during his Presidency.

In the case of the Obamas, they have put a call out to museums that they would like to borrow modern art by African-American, Asian, Hispanic and female artists. So far, they have installed seven works, including "Sky Light" and "Watusi (Hard Edge)," both by abstract African-American artist Alma Thomas.

The Obamas choice in art comes as a marked departure from the 19th-century still lifes and portraits displayed throughout the White House's history.

Last week the first family installed seven works on loan from the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington in the White House’s private residence, including “Sky Light” and “Watusi (Hard Edge),” a pair of blue and yellow abstracts by lesser-known African-American abstract artist Alma Thomas, acclaimed for her post-war paintings of geometric shapes in cheery colors.