Ex-US President's portrait by Nigerian-American artist Kehinde Wiley unveiled in Washington

dimeji akinloye

February 12, 2018 7:03 PM

Obama had selected Wiley to paint his official presidential portrait, to be displayed in the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.

A portrait of former US President

Obama had selected Wiley to paint his official presidential portrait, to be displayed in the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.

Obama, the 44th president of the United States and wife, Michelle, whose portrait was also revealed, were present at the unveiling ceremony held at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington.

Michelle's portrait was painted by Amy Sherald, an American artist based in Baltimore, Maryland.

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"I tried to negotiate less gray hair and Kehinde's artistic integrity would not allow (him) to do what I asked. I tried to negotiate smaller ears. Struck out on that as well", Obama joked while speaking at the unveiling.

Obama's portrait will be permanently stationed at the "America's Presidents" exhibition and will be available for viewing from February 13.

Michelle's portrait, however, will be in the museum's "Recent Acquisitions" corridor through early November 2018.

Wiley's previous subjects included music icons such as the Notorious B.I.G., LL Cool J, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Michael Jackson, among others.

Born in the US to a Nigerian father and an African-American mother, Wiley, 40, only visited Nigeria when he was 20 years old to bond with dad and connect with his root.

His paintings often blur the boundaries between traditional and contemporary modes of representation.

dimeji akinloye