‘This will be timeless’: what art can we expect from Chicago’s $850m Obama Presidential Center?

The Obama Presidential Center in Chicago will unveil an extensive art collection featuring original works by 30 commissioned artists from diverse backgrounds when it opens on June 18, 2026. This initiative, spearheaded by Barack and Michelle Obama, marks an unprecedented scale of artistic commissioning for a presidential library. The collection aims to celebrate the 'audacity of art' and includes vital memorabilia for visitors. This approach contrasts with the artistic choices of Obama's successor, Donald Trump, who reportedly filled the Oval Office with traditional portraits and sought to diminish funding for cultural institutions like the Kennedy Center and the Smithsonian Institution. The Obama Presidential Center, a $850 million project located on Chicago's South Side, is designed to be a lasting monument to Obama's legacy, with the art collection intended to be timeless.