As art has become increasingly censored in our public institutions, this painting represents a bittersweet memory at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC. It was my first time to see the Amy Sherald portrait of Michelle Obama and as I approached, I noticed the gallery attendant admiring the painting. We ended up chatting and he let me take pics of him while he looked on at the portrait. What was he thinking? What effect does the painting have on people, I wondered.
Though this one is seemingly part of the large Museum Meditation group of paintings from 2020, it came later. I had moved on from that subject but couldn’t resist making one more. It’s hard to stop watching people interact with art in museums. Replicating what I see with paint helps me enjoy the scene all over again, while pausing to deeply consider the benefits of viewing art.
As art has become increasingly censored in our public institutions, this painting represents a bittersweet memory at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC. It was my first time to see the Amy Sherald portrait of Michelle Obama and as I approached, I noticed the gallery attendant admiring the painting. We ended up chatting and he let me take pics of him while he looked on at the portrait. What was he thinking? What effect does the painting have on people, I wondered.
Though this one is seemingly part of the large Museum Meditation group of paintings from 2020, it came later. I had moved on from that subject but couldn’t resist making one more. It’s hard to stop watching people interact with art in museums. Replicating what I see with paint helps me enjoy the scene all over again, while pausing to deeply consider the benefits of viewing art.
