Rob Pruitt

The Obama Paintings and The Lincoln Monument 
@ MOCA Detroit

Two coming exhibits of New York artist Rob Pruitt will feature a flea market and a series of thousands of paintings of President Obama. Every day for the past six years, Mr. Pruitt has painted a portrait of Barack Obama, nearly 3,000 canvases since the start of his presidency. Mr. Pruitt said the series also began on a whim, as a way to chronicle Mr. Obama’s tenure. The artist plans to continue through the president’s final day in office. Every morning, he culls media images for inspiration and then spends “under an hour” painting in red, white and blue on 
a 2-foot canvas. In some, the president looks triumphant and in others, he looks fatigued. Mr. Pruitt said he wasn’t seeking to make propaganda. “I just wanted to make a complete portrait.” Collectively, “The Obama Paintings” will represent his longest series-and among the largest group of paintings the Detroit museum has shown in a single exhibit. Ms. Borowy-Reeder said Mr. Pruitt’s portraits will cover the 
14-foot walls of nearly 9,000 square feet of gallery space within the museum. Additionally, the exhibit will include “Lincoln Monument,” 
a 6-foot tower of tractor tires Mr. Pruitt painted in copper leaf. Around 200,000 pennies (that’s $2,000 worth) will cascade down the tires like a fountain. LINK MOCAD