A new official portrait of Barack and Michelle Obama, depicting key moments and elements from their lives, was unveiled this week at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. The large-scale artwork by artist Njideka Akunyili Crosby measures nine by ten feet and presents the former president and first lady seated together, surrounded by a tapestry of more than 500 images woven into their clothing and the background.
Barack Obama is portrayed in a dark suit, seated informally on a table, while Michelle Obama is shown in a deep blue dress, seated in a chair alongside him. The composition intentionally treats both figures as equals, reflecting Akunyili Crosby’s emphasis on their shared partnership. The detailed mosaic includes personal and historical visuals, such as a young Michelle Robinson posed beside her father’s prized 1970 Buick Electra 225 coupe.
The portrait, titled “Springing Forth,” occupies the lobby of the center’s Museum Tower and will be accessible to visitors without an admission fee when the complex opens Friday. The Obamas viewed the piece for the first time during a visit Sunday, engaging with Akunyili Crosby and expressing their appreciation. Michelle Obama described the image as “us” and alluded to the many "stories within the story." Barack Obama complimented the artwork while playfully questioning why his gray hair was left unaltered in the portrait.
Akunyili Crosby, a Nigerian-born artist based in Los Angeles, and her team utilized a mixed-media approach involving acrylic paint, colored pencils, charcoal, and a photo-transfer printmaking technique. The process involved transferring thousands of printed personal photographs directly onto the canvas using acetone and physical rubbing to embed the image pigments. The artist and her team sifted through approximately 3,000 images reflecting the Obamas’ personal history, drawing on family photos, scenes from the Obama Oval Office, and cultural references such as Michelle Obama’s childhood home on Chicago’s South Shore and the cover of Stevie Wonder’s 1972 album “Talking Book.”
The portrait’s setting evokes the Oval Office under Obama’s presidency, incorporating features like the distinctive window and maroon drapery. Surrounding flora symbolize locations meaningful to the Obamas, including Chicago, Kenya, and Hawaii. Akunyili Crosby stressed the equal representation of both subjects by carefully balancing the visual elements associated with each.
“Springing Forth” completes the installation of 28 major artworks at the sprawling 19-acre, $850 million presidential center. Other featured artists in the collection include María Magdalena Campos-Pons, Nekisha Durrett, Theaster Gates, Richard Hunt, Maya Lin, Martin Puryear, Alison Saar, and Carrie Mae Weems.
Valerie Jarrett, CEO of the Obama Foundation, noted that the Obamas spent considerable time examining Akunyili Crosby’s work during their visit, a sentiment she believes visitors will share. Jarrett also expressed concern that the portrait’s captivating detail and central location could cause crowding as guests pause to explore the layers of imagery embedded in the work.