This week, the Obama Administration released a list of some 45 pieces of artwork it has borrowed to decorate the First Couple’s private residence and the East and West Wings of the White House.
The list, which is primarily made up of modern and contemporary pieces, was selected from several museums and private collections in Washington D.C., The New York Times reports.
The selection ranges from Rothko paintings and Degas sculptures to paintings of Native Americans by George Catlin. Though only six works by female painters were chosen, the Obamas did select a number of pieces by African-American and Native-American painters, such as Glenn Ligon’s “Black Like Me No. 2.”
White House curator William Allman described the selection as showing an “interest in truly modern art” that is greater than that of previous presidents. Hirshhorn Museum curator Kerry Brougher was also surprised by some of the choices: “There are some very interesting figures. It’s more interesting and shows a greater diversity of art than I’ve seen.”
Of course, no Obama decision is complete without input from the conservative pundits. Michelle Malkin, for example, has dedicated several blog posts to criticizing the list. First, she mocked the selection of Ed Ruscha’s “I think I’ll …” which examines indecision through depictions of phrases like “maybe…yes…” and “maybe…I’ll…” Malkin wrote of this painting’s selection, “If Barack Obama’s lack of authority and certitude weren’t costing so many lives, this would be comical.”
Malkin also investigated a FreeRepublic claim that “Watusi (Hard Edge),” a 1963 painting by Alma Thomas, is actually a knock-off of Henri Matisse’s 1953 work “L’Escargot.” Malkin finished her post with “I know, I know. Cries of ‘RAAAAACIST’ in 3, 2, 1…,” followed by “Behold my new creation, ‘Twist’:”, and a rotated picture of the Mona Lisa.
