So you've seen the portraits - how do you feel about them?

[Algernon Moncrieff]

37 votes, 3 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Like/Love both the portraits!
	14 (38%)
	Like/Love the Barack portrait. Not wild about the Michelle portrait
	2 (5%)
	Like/Love the Michelle portrait. Not wild about the Barack portrait
	3 (8%)
	Loved the Obamas. Not crazy about the portraits.
	17 (46%)
	Not crazy about the portraits or the Obamas (you'll be expected to explain this choice below)
	1 (3%)
	3 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

[Bettie]

1. I wish the portrait of Michelle

looked more like her. It doesn't really capture her personality, in my opinion.

[sammythecat]

21. Completely agree

It's a very nice painting, but I don't see Michelle Obama. Very disappointing.

[Luciferous]

41. I agree. It looks more like a portrait of Kerry Washington.

[Lord_at_War]

42. I still don't understand the artist's choice

to go "greyscale" on Michelle's complexion. She is a beautiful black woman- and we get what is almost "white-face".

[ProudMNDemocrat]

2. The Obamas are far from ordinary.....

As an Art Major/History Minor in College, I can appreciate the artistic license taken in presenting Barack and Michelle Obama as 21st century people.

For they are extraordinary in every sense of the word.

[leftstreet]

3. Is the guy in the uh...bold suit the artist?

[zipplewrath]

7. Yeah

Obama made a joke about it during his comments.

[Nay]

27. He did Pres. Obama's portrait. Didn't do Mrs. Obama's.

[pangaia]

28. Yeah, helps explain his painting, doesn't it. ::))

[zipplewrath]

4. Portraits are for the admirers

It would seem from the statements of both artists, that they are done to appeal to those who knew and admired them. I would think that soon, that would make them relatively obsolete for the vast majority of their audience.

As for the Obamas, they are the most admirable the last 6 presidents, but I'm more than ready to move on. I've never been one of the gushing admirers.

[LanternWaste]

23. Presidential portraits are displayed only for "the admirers"?

Presidential portraits are displayed only for "the admirers"? What leads you to allege as such?

If I go to view Calhoun's portraits, I'm "gushing?"

Your perspective seems to lack any rational premise beyond projecting your own foibles onto everyone else.

[zipplewrath]

32. No

The artists descriptions of their process and intent left me with the impression that their art was meant to have meaning to people who would have known and admired them.

[Honeycombe8]

5. Don't like his.

It's a weird picture, and makes it look like his pants are too short & he's on tippy toes. It also doesn't look like him in the face. What's with all the green stuff?

Michelle's is fine, mainly because of the dress and it shows her trademark arms. Hair looks good and like hers. It doesn't quite look like her in the face, but it's close enough. Pretty picture.

[LoveMyCali]

37. I'm not crazy about his and hate hers

It doesn't look anything like her and while her dress is sleeveless there is no definition in her arms making her look kind of soft. The dress commands all of your attention taking it away from the woman wearing it. Not a fan of this portrait at all.

[Eliot Rosewater]

6. Two posters openly admitting they dont like two of the greatest liberals, Democrats & humans

on the planet.

Are they on the wrong FUCKING messsage board?

[leftstreet]

8. It's easy to read it wrong

I thought it would be similar to the choice above it

[Algernon Moncrieff]

12. That was my thought

However, there are fair criticisms of the Obama administration. I know public school employees mostly had no use for Arne Duncan, and there is some feeling that he should have gotten out troops out of Afghanistan by any means necessary.

Michelle's portrait, to me, evokes Georgia O'Keefe in terms of style. I like it; but it's very non-traditional.

I gotta be honest - I'm not getting the leafy background thing on Barack's portrait.

[pangaia]

30. Georgia O'Keefe - Oh, goodness, no no.

Please do not do that to Georgia.

[zipplewrath]

35. One doesn't have to hate

One doesn't have to hate to not be "crazy" about an administration.
I wasn't crazy about his administration and it's failures. That's along way from hating it. I voted for the guy twice.

[Ms. Toad]

13. Probably just read too quickly.

That last two options are worded in a way that if you're looking for the "not fond of either portrait," choice the last option jumps out more than the next to last.

I almost clicked on the last option, saw the sub-heading (you'd be expected to explain this) - internally reacted, "Why would anyone who isn't fond of the portraits be expected to explain when those who like one or both aren't?"

Then I re-read both of the last options. Then the light bulb hit.

[Lil Missy]

9. Other - Like Barack portrait, Michelle's is growing on me. Actually, both could be a lot better.

[saidsimplesimon]

10. Just a silly question?

Why are there no roses in the garden?

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="

?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscree

[OldHippieChick]

19. My limited understanding is that the flowers have more to do w/ his heritage

and experiences other than the White House, but that may be wrong.

[Decoy of Fenris]

11. Not a fan.

Mr. Obama himself looks rather professional, but the background, and Mrs. Obama's entire portrait, seem very simpleminded and were executed poorly. It also doesn't help that, as mentioned upthread, Mrs. Obama's portrait doesn't resemble her in the least. I'd expect these out of Freshman art students, but no one who would deem themselves professional.

It's such a shame, because Mr. Obama's physical portrait is beautifully done. It just feels that the artist gave up, said "fuck it" and screwed around for the rest of it.

[Ms. Toad]

14. That is Wiley's style.

Look at his other portraits. Gorgeously executed people, in very busy backgrounds/foregrounds.

[Decoy of Fenris]

15. Oh, I know. I've seen his other work.

I'm just not a fan of it nor of work similar. Back in my college years I'd see the same type of style from students, where the actual object is gorgeously rendered but the background would be garbage filler. The professor called a student on it once, and the student flat out admitted that he sucked at backgrounds but he had to put something there, and this artist seems like he never got around to fixing that failing. It's a real shame; he's obviously incredibly talented.

Still, different strokes for different folks. Obviously some people find it "compelling" or some other such, so more power to 'em. (Will never be a fan of Michelle's painting, but that's a whole other kettle of fish.)

[Ms. Toad]

17. I don't think it is a matter of not getting around to fixing that failing -

I think it is an affirmative choice.

In contrast Michelle's artist, Sherald, is making an affirmative choice to have an absolutely blank background.

I'm with you - I'm not a fan of either. But I don't have to be - these artists were their choices. They chose them, knowing the style in which they painted.

[Decoy of Fenris]

26. True enough. Art is fiddly from time to time.

Maybe my criticism is just an older mind stuck in the classics. I try to broaden my horizons, but no matter how much I try, I just can't "get" the newer shit. Still, at least it's art, and art is a good thing one way or another.

I'm gonna take off for a bit. Pleasure talking with you, Ms. Toad.

[alarimer]

16. I like them, I just don't think his is very presidential.

I think it's fine as a work of art, but not as a document of someone who occupied that office. You'd really have no clue from it.

[TreasonousBastard]

18. OK-- I'll be the artistically illiterate klutz and admit I just don't get his portrait...

the pose looks uncomfortable and while I heard about the reasons for the leaves, I just don't buy it. I would have liked to see him much more comfortable with himself. An outdoor setting would be nice, but this is suffocating.

Her portrait is just bizarre. Besides the hits of cubism in her face (which do not make her look more powerful) the shadow on the bare wall behind her makes it look like a photograph taken of the scene by an assistant to a photographer. The dress is interesting, though. She also looks a little uncomfortable.

I personally hate that direct look "into the camera"-- it has a name I've forgotten, but it just doesn't work that well all the time. It does work more with mass killers than thoughtful professionals.

If you haven't heard, the teabaggers have already come out with the assertion that there is a sperm on his left temple. They seem to have found spermatozoa on many paintings and this disturbs them.

[hunter]

20. I loved them.

"Traditional, conservative" portraits might have implied acceptance of U.S.A. traditions... some damned ugly traditions like racism and religious intolerance.

This reminds me of the debate over Jerry Brown's official portrait in 1984:



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gubernatorial_portrait_of_Jerry_Brown

I can guarantee Trump's official portrait will be something any narcissistic great leader of a shit hole nation would be proud of.

[Baconator]

22. They're trying to be edgy but...

[LanternWaste]

24. I like both portraits.

I like both portraits. But I get it- this is a country that believes Boris Vallejo's low-grade porn was a visual genius, so...


Maybe there's something more to the pearls-before-swine argument than I may have originally credited.

[DrunkInTheAfternoon]

25. I just keep asking myself

"would I mocked tRump over these portraits?"

And the answer is - absolutely... And with great glee.

So, yeah. I'm kind of bummed that Obama got 'em...

[ffr]

29. It is rare to see them sitting, so why portray them that way?

Not sure what the artist was going for, but if I were either of the Obamas, I wouldn't be impressed.

[msongs]

31. whats up with his oversized looking hands? and her dress is nice but she looks so cold. what

matters is if they like them

[LuckyCharms]

33. I did not like them until I saw the high def ones that Skinner posted.

I looked at the high def versions for well over an hour. I think they are beautiful...they amaze me and I don't especially know why. Can't put it into words.

I guess that is what true art does to you.

[secondwind]

36. I agree 100%

[secondwind]

34. I love LOVED both portraits. The are going to withstand the test of time. Wait and see.

[Miles Archer]

38. Not my style of art at all, and that's just a personal preference

It's like foods or music or anything else. It can be the greatest dish of (fill in food name here) made by a Michelin Star Chef, but if I'm not into that particular kind of food, it's not going to change my mind. And with music, something like "Styx Greatest Hits" is an oxymoron, because I'm not even a casual fan of Styx.

I just don't like the style of art. It doesn't make me want to look deeper at the details, it makes me want to look away from that.

I guess what matters most is that if Barack and Michelle are pleased with the results. If they are, the artist can consider the works to be a success.

[old guy]

39. Agreed.

I don't dislike the art but am not enthralled either.

[petronius]

40. Never had the slightest interest in Presidential portraits, but

I do like to vote!

[Algernon Moncrieff]

43. Congratulations on post 26,000!