First African American Family and President in the White House
Mary Proctor
American, born 1960
Details
Title
First African American Family and President in the White House
Artist/Maker
Mary Proctor (American, born 1960)
Date
2008-2016
Medium
Paint and mixed media on wood
Dimensions
92 × 39 inches
Credit
Gift of Carl and Marian Mullis
Accession #
2018.188
The first artworks Mary Proctor ever made were three paintings on doors dedicated to members of her family who had died in a house fire. This tragic event was a turning point in Proctor’s life and motivated her feverish production of art on all sorts of architectural and other found surfaces. In this door painting, Proctor memorializes the first African American U.S. president and his family through bright patriotic color splashes and riffs on President Obama’s signature motto, “Yes We Can.”
Image Copyright
© (c) Mary L. Proctor