Lena Rivera
In February 2018, former US President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama's official portraits, painted by Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald respectively, were unveiled at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. Following this, several people, including Fox News host Sean Hannity, pointed out that Wiley's portrait of Obama included a sperm cell on his forehead. This led to a debate about the artist's choice, with some calling it a joke or perverse, and others, like Hannity, claiming it was a symbol of Obama's hatred for America.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Artist | Kehinde Wiley |
| Painting | Napoleon Leading the Army of the Alps |
| Sperm placement | On Obama's forehead, in the background |
| Symbolism | The virility of the conquering black man |
| Responses | Criticism, conspiracy theories, humour |
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What You'll Learn
- Obama's painter has a history of adding sperm to his paintings
- The bulging vein on Obama's forehead in the painting resembles a sperm cell
- Obama chose a controversial artist to paint his portrait
- The artist's work includes black women beheading white women
- The painting is subtly hateful towards white people
Obama's painter has a history of adding sperm to his paintings
Barack Obama's presidential portrait, painted by Kehinde Wiley, caused quite a stir upon its unveiling at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in February 2018. The controversy centred around the allegation that Wiley, the first African-American artist to receive a presidential portrait commission, included a sperm cell on Obama's forehead.
Wiley, a highly regarded Yale-educated painter, is known for his bold colours and strong views on racial power. His work primarily focuses on monumental portraits of Black people, addressing their image and status in contemporary culture. While some celebrate his art for challenging conventional views of power and wealth, others have criticised it as "perverse" and "predatory".
The inclusion of sperm in Wiley's paintings is not a new phenomenon. His version of "Napoleon Leading the Army of the Alps" also features sperm, with "dozens of little sperm cells" across the canvas and an "egg-like orb with sperm cells crawling on them." Wiley has explained that these motifs reference the virility of his subjects, particularly the conquering black man.
The decision by President Obama to select Wiley for his official portrait may have been influenced by the artist's unique style and his desire to challenge traditional views. Obama expressed his appreciation for Wiley's work, stating, "I was always struck by...the degree to which [his portraits] challenged our conventional views of power, wealth, privilege, and the way that he would take extraordinary care and precision and vision in recognising the beauty and the grace and the dignity of people who are so often invisible."
The controversy surrounding the portrait and the artist's history of including sperm in his paintings sparked intense debates and highlighted the power of art to provoke strong emotions and interpretations.
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The bulging vein on Obama's forehead in the painting resembles a sperm cell
The official portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama were unveiled at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery on February 12, 2018. The painting was created by Kehinde Wiley, an artist chosen by Obama himself.
The painting caused some controversy due to what some viewers perceived as a sperm cell on Obama's forehead. The bulging vein on Obama's forehead in the painting was pointed out by the Vigilant Citizen, who noted its resemblance to a sperm cell. This perception was shared by other commentators, including Pamela Geller, who tweeted a comparison of Obama's portrait to other presidential portraits, and Fox News host Sean Hannity, who promoted (and later deleted) an article titled "Portrait Perversion: Obama Portrait Features 'Secret Sperm'."
The artist, Kehinde Wiley, is known for his history of including sperm in his paintings. According to Dawson and Mrs. Sawyer's Opus, Wiley's version of "Napoleon Leading the Army of the Alps" features "dozens of little sperm cells" and an "egg-like orb with sperm cells crawling on them." Wiley has also been known to paint portraits of black women beheading white women, and his work has been described as "predatory" and "perverse."
While some viewers interpreted the bulging vein on Obama's forehead as a sperm cell, others disagreed. One commentator, riverlife_callie, offered an alternative interpretation, suggesting that it represents "virility or poor aim." It is worth noting that Wiley has stated that the swirling, abstract backgrounds in his portraits are not intended as representations of semen but rather as abstractions of sperm.
The interpretation of the bulging vein on Obama's forehead as a sperm cell is subjective and open to individual perception. While some see it as an intentional hidden symbol, others may view it simply as a representation of a vein or a stylistic element in the painting.
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Obama chose a controversial artist to paint his portrait
Former US President Barack Obama chose Kehinde Wiley, a controversial artist, to paint his portrait for the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. Wiley is known for his "colourful depictions of young black males over classical backdrops inspired from masterworks".
Some of Wiley's paintings feature black women holding the decapitated heads of white women. He also has a history of including sperm in his paintings. One of his paintings, Wiley's version of "Napoleon Leading the Army of the Alps", features "dozens of little sperm cells" across the canvas, with "an egg-like orb with sperm cells crawling on them".
The choice of artist for his official portrait attracted criticism from some quarters. Obama's portrait features a bulging vein on his forehead that some observers noted looked like a sperm cell. This detail fuelled speculation that the artist had included a sperm cell in the painting.
Obama's response to the portrait was: "How about that? That's pretty sharp."
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The artist's work includes black women beheading white women
Several sources allege that Barack Obama's presidential portrait, painted by Kehinde Wiley, contains a sperm cell on the former president's forehead. Wiley is known for his "colourful depictions of young black males over classical backdrops inspired from masterworks". He has also painted portraits of black women beheading white women, which has been interpreted as a blatant statement of racism.
Wiley's work has been criticised for including gay sexual themes and playing into the "race wars agenda". He has been described as predatory and perverse by The Village Voice. However, his work has also been embraced by the entertainment industry.
Wiley's paintings of black women beheading white women are modern takes on the biblical story of Judith beheading Holofernes. In Wiley's versions, Judith wears a gown designed by Riccardo Tisci of Givenchy, and Holofernes is represented by a woman's head. Wiley has stated that he is "painting women in order to come to terms with the depictions of gender within the context of art history". He also said that his work attempts to "reconcile the presence of black female stereotypes that surround their presence and/or absence in art history, and the notions of beauty, spectacle, and the 'grand' in painting".
Art critics have interpreted Wiley's paintings in different ways. Some see them as a celebration of racial violence, while others offer a more nuanced view, suggesting that Wiley's work critiques the racism in art history.
Another artist who has dedicated their career to depicting women's flesh is Jenny Saville. Saville's work explores the "fractured experience of life in the digital era" and seeks to challenge societal perceptions of women's bodies.
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The painting is subtly hateful towards white people
The painting of former US President Barack Obama by Kehinde Wiley has been the subject of much controversy since its unveiling at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in February 2018. One of the most talked-about aspects of the portrait is the allegation that it contains a subtle message of hatred towards white people. This interpretation stems from the claim that the painting includes a depiction of a sperm cell on Obama's forehead, which has been interpreted as a symbol of the "virility of the conquering black man".
The artist, Kehinde Wiley, has a history of including sperm in his paintings, and has been described as "predatory" and "perverse" by some commentators. In addition to the sperm cell, Wiley's work has also been noted for featuring black women holding the decapitated heads of white women, further fueling accusations of anti-white sentiment.
While some have interpreted the alleged inclusion of a sperm cell in the Obama portrait as a deliberate message of hatred towards whites, others have offered alternative explanations. One commentator suggested that the shape in question is simply a bulging vein and not intended as a representation of semen. This interpretation is supported by a 2008 New York Times profile of Wiley, in which he likened the swirling, abstract backgrounds in his portraits to abstractions of sperm, rather than intentional depictions.
The interpretation of the painting as hateful towards whites has been particularly associated with right-wing commentators such as Sean Hannity and Pamela Geller, who have promoted this view through their platforms. Hannity, for example, published an article titled "Portrait Perversion: Obama Portrait Features 'Secret Sperm'" which he later deleted, claiming it had been posted by his web staff without his review.
The Obama portrait controversy highlights the subjective nature of art interpretation and the potential for political agendas to influence the way art is perceived and discussed. While some see the painting as a symbol of anti-white hatred, others view these interpretations as a right-wing smear campaign against a black artist favored by a black president.
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Frequently asked questions
Some people, including conspiracy theorists like Fox News' Sean Hannity, believe that President Obama's portrait contains a sperm cell on his forehead, added by the artist Kehinde Wiley. However, others argue that it is simply a depiction of a vein.
Kehinde Wiley is a self-described "provocateur" known for recreating Old Master paintings with black subjects and often including sperm in his artwork.
Kehinde Wiley has stated that including sperm in his paintings is a way to "take masculinity and all of its bravado down to the most essential component." He also believes that sperm symbolizes the virility of the conquering black man.
When the portrait was unveiled, President Obama responded, "How about that? That's pretty sharp."
In addition to his portrait of President Obama, Kehinde Wiley is known for his colorful depictions of young black males over classical backdrops. Some of his paintings also feature black women holding the decapitated heads of white women, and he has been embraced by the entertainment industry for his exploration of gay sexual themes.
