first family

Obamas Choose "Avant-Garde" Art for the White House

by Josie Swindler, Posted Oct 7th 2009

The AP reports that the White House is now home not just to the Obama family, but to the largest collection of modern and abstract artwork ever assembled by a sitting president. The President and First Lady have chosen works by little-known African-American and Native American artists as well as big names like Jasper Johns, Mark Rothko and Edgar Degas. President Obama even displays artifacts such as patent models on the bookshelves in the Oval Office.