Nigerian-born visual artist Njideka Akunyili-Crosby has painted the official portraits of former United States President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, for the Obama Presidential Centre.
The Obama Foundation built the Barack Obama Presidential Centre at 6001 S. Stony Island Avenue in Chicago, with its commissioning scheduled for 19 June.
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The nearly 20-acre campus is far more than a museum; it houses art installations, a new library, a basketball court and a picnic area complete with grills.
Mrs Obama announced the portraits in a video posted to her Instagram page on Monday, showing her, Mr Obama and the 43-year-old artist walking through the library to where the painting hangs.
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Speaking in the video, Mr Obama and his wife, who are already in Chicago ahead of the grand opening, described the portrait as fantastic and beautiful.
“Oh! My God, you got everything in there. My only real question is, how come you didn’t dye my hair in the program? Don’t they usually touch it up a little bit?” Mr Obama asked jokingly.
Mrs Obama, however, revealed that she had long wanted Ms Akunyili-Crosby to paint her portrait.
“You know how long I’ve been wanting this woman to do something with and for me? It was an honour. I mean, we did it.”
Drawing
The Enugu-born described the painting as both rewarding and challenging.
She added that it pushed her beyond her comfort zone and demanded the best of her craft.
“So I drew first of the two of you. We read all your books, listened to all the interviews you’ve done, and watched all the podcasts and videos. My whole studio got to know you.
“I wanted to make these decisions that tapped into those memories. So when you saw this, it felt familiar”, she said.
In 2017, PREMIUM TIMES reported that Ms Akunyili-Crosby, the daughter of the late Nigerian information minister, Dora Akunyili, had won the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship.
The foundation awards the $625,000 grant to artists, writers, teachers, scientists, entrepreneurs and individuals from all walks of life who demonstrate exceptional creativity.
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