Portrait painting gets a bum rep. While the rest of painting continues to glide forwards, with angularity and expressionism, into the twentieth century, portrait painting is back there with petticoats and pocket watches: the stuff of another time, and of the now dead, white men who used to rule it.
The unveiling of Barack and Michelle Obama’s official portraits for the National Portrait Gallery disrupt this association: they are not only the portraits of the first black couple to sit in the White House, but the Obamas also chose black artists to paint the works, with a style that departs from the country-clubhouse norm of presidential portraits.
Kehinde Wiley, who painted Obama, is known for his refurbishment of the genre, mixing the classic portrait format – straightforward pose, unsmiling – against busy, brightly coloured backgrounds, often using West African patterns.
In the portrait Wiley painted, Obama is shown in a garden of sorts, with bright green flowers that cover the edges of his legs and arms, almost threatening to consume him. The ornately carved chair that the former president sits on is perhaps a recognition of the dual role that Obama has played, navigating between a black community and the trappings of power in the White House that historically excluded it.
Amy Sherald painted Michelle Obama as a glamour icon: a slightly curious role for a Princeton-educated lawyer that reflects the often unthreatening position Michelle Obama was at times forced to adopt. But it gets across the core of the Michelle Obama mystique: her sheer regal character. There she is, perched as upon a fashion-forward throne of her own making, with an inscrutable and yet approachable face.
Aside from the racial implications of the portraits’ breaks from tradition, there is another reason for the sudden interest in this serious and dignified pair: they are a reminder, for many around the world, of another sort of president before Donald Trump.
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Test series fixtures
(All matches start at 2pm UAE)
1st Test Lord's, London from Thursday to Monday
2nd Test Nottingham from July 14-18
3rd Test The Oval, London from July 27-31
4th Test Manchester from August 4-8
Healthy tips to remember
Here, Dr Mohamed El Abiary, paediatric consultant at Al Zahra Hospital Dubai, shares some advice for parents whose children are fasting during the holy month of Ramadan:
Gradual fasting and golden points - For children under the age of 10, follow a step-by-step approach to fasting and don't push them beyond their limits. Start with a few hours fasting a day and increase it to a half fast and full fast when the child is ready. Every individual's ability varies as per the age and personal readiness. You could introduce a points system that awards the child and offers them encouragement when they make progress with the amount of hours they fast
Why fast? - Explain to your child why they are fasting. By shedding light on the importance of abstaining from food and drink, children may feel more encouraged to give it there all during the observance period. It is also a good opportunity to teach children about controlling urges, doing good for others and instilling healthy food habits
Sleep and suhoor - A child needs adequate sleep every night - at least eight hours. Make sure to set a routine early bedtime so he/she has sufficient time to wake up for suhoor, which is an essential meal at the beginning of the day
Good diet - Nutritious food is crucial to ensuring a healthy Ramadan for children. They must refrain from eating too much junk food as well as canned goods and snacks and drinks high in sugar. Foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and proteins, like fruits, fresh meats and vegetables, make for a good balanced diet
