Trump portrait to be displayed at National Portrait Gallery
The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington will display a photographic portrait of President-elect Donald Trump starting January 13, 2017, as part of the inauguration celebrations. The image, taken in 1989 by photographer Michael O'Brien, shows Trump tossing an apple with his right hand. It entered the NPG's collection in 2011, joining four other works depicting the president-elect. The museum previously exhibited a famous portrait of outgoing President Barack Obama—the original Hope poster by Shepard Fairey—from January 2009 to 2013. This move signals a thaw in relations between Trump and the art world, which largely opposed his candidacy. Meanwhile, Trump's choice of Steven Mnuchin as Treasury Secretary—son of prominent New York gallerist Robert Mnuchin, a Hollywood producer, and former MOCA Los Angeles board member—further ties his administration to cultural circles.
Key facts
- Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery will display a photographic portrait of Donald Trump from January 13, 2017.
- The portrait was taken in 1989 by photographer Michael O'Brien.
- The image shows Trump tossing an apple with his right hand.
- The portrait entered the NPG collection in 2011.
- The NPG holds four other works depicting Trump.
- The museum exhibited Barack Obama's Hope portrait by Shepard Fairey from 2009 to 2013.
- Steven Mnuchin, Trump's Treasury Secretary pick, is son of gallerist Robert Mnuchin and former MOCA board member.
- The display marks a shift in Trump's relationship with the art world.
Entities
Artists
- Michael O'Brien
- Shepard Fairey
Institutions
- Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery
- MOCA Los Angeles
- Goldman Sachs
Locations
- Washington
- United States