Obama Presidential Centre Unveils Portrait By Nigerian-American Artist

Michelle Obama praised Njideka Akunyili-Crosby after the Nigerian-American artist created a portrait for the Obama Presidential Centre.

Former United States President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama have unveiled a new portrait created by Nigerian-American artist Njideka Akunyili-Crosby for the Obama Presidential Centre in Chicago.

Michelle Obama shared the artwork in a post on X, alongside a video showing Akunyili-Crosby unveiling the portrait. The piece was commissioned for the Obama Presidential Centre, a museum, library and educational facility dedicated to preserving and sharing Barack Obama’s legacy. The centre is expected to open to the public on June 19.

Reacting to the artwork, Michelle Obama praised the artist’s work and the way she captured the couple in the portrait.

Barack Obama also welcomed the portrait, saying it “looks fantastic”.

Speaking about how she approached the project, Akunyili-Crosby said she studied the Obamas extensively before beginning the work.

“We read all your books and listened to all your interviews, podcasts, and videos. My whole studio got to know you. I wanted to make decisions that tapped into those memories so it would feel familiar,” she said.

Akunyili-Crosby is one of the most recognised contemporary artists of Nigerian origin. She is the daughter of the late Dora Akunyili, the former Director-General of Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

Her work has earned international recognition over the years, including a place on the Financial Times’ Women of the Year list in 2016 and the MacArthur Fellowship, also known as the “Genius Grant”, in 2017. She has also exhibited widely in the United States and produced major installations exploring Nigerian culture and identity.