Course Description

High Museum Art Conversation: The Obama Portraits Tour

Join museum educator, Evelyn Newsome, in a virtual conversation about The Obama Portraits Tour. During this program, participants will have the opportunity to share their insights and observations and learn about the making of these two iconic images.

From the moment of their unveiling at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in February 2018, the museum’s official portraits of President Barack Obama and Mrs. Michelle Obama have become iconic. The Obama Portraits Tour is a national tour bringing the two portraits to five major cities in the United States, reaching millions of people who may not have had the opportunity to view these monumental paintings. Two highly regarded contemporary artists, Amy Sherald’s and Kehinde Wiley’s artistic practices speak to the Obamas’ artistic vision and to their values of inclusion and diversity. These portraits challenge traditional notions of portraiture and represent truly contemporary presidential portraits.

About your Instructor:

Evelyn Newsome is the Education Department Coordinator at the High Museum of Art, where she has worked since 2019. In her current role, she works closely with the Head of Creative Aging and Lifelong Learning to develop a diverse suite of offerings for adults aged 55 and over. This past summer, she had the unique opportunity to write the exhibition text for The Obama Portraits Tour. Evelyn holds a B.A. from The University of Georgia in Art History.