Portrait of Michelle Obama 

Amy Sherald created this striking portrait of Michelle Obama using oil paint on canvas. Sherald employs a distinctive approach by rendering her subject's skin in grayscale. This immediately draws attention to the materiality of her dress: a symphony of geometric patterns, bold shapes, and vibrant colors that seem to leap off the canvas. The dress is not merely a garment, but a carefully constructed composition. The crisp lines and flat planes suggest a design sensibility rooted in modernist abstraction. The painting's flat, almost graphic style, combined with the muted skin tones, create an image that is both realistic and stylized. This blending of traditions is significant; it acknowledges both the history of portraiture and the broader world of design and visual culture. By using these techniques, Sherald elevates the portrait to a higher level. It suggests that the making of an artwork, like the crafting of a powerful public image, involves a process of careful construction and design.