George and Laura Bush Picture America

Examiner column for March 3.

    George and Laura Bush helped inaugurate an arts initiative in schools at an event in the East Room of the White House last week. “Picturing America,” sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities, has the goal of bringing history to life for thousands of students by giving them access to high quality reproductions of iconic American paintings and photographs.

    In addition to the White House Press Corps, a small number of education and arts writers from other newspapers and magazines were invited to cover the event. For some of us, it was our first trip to the White House. Throughout the afternoon, I was part reporter covering an event, and part dumbstruck tourist taking in the scene.

    After passing the normal hurdles of gaining entry into the White House, reporters and photographers were escorted through a side door into the crowded area at the back of the East Room, separated by a rope from the invited guests.

    The author Tom Wolfe (“The Right Stuff” and “Bonfire of the Vanities”) was in the audience, wearing his signature white suit, as were Supreme Court Justice Scalia and the Keno twins of Antiques Roadshow fame. Additionally, there were prominent supporters of the arts as well as teachers and students from local schools who have already received the forty reproductions.

    President and Mrs. Bush, right on time as always, entered the room and the President took the podium. He has learned the appeal of self-deprecating humor. He began: “Most of you are renowned scholars, intellectuals, and writers. You've earned reputations for expressing man's noblest deeds and thoughts in pristine, eloquent English. Just like me. “

    The art works are wonderful vehicles through which students will be able to examine, think, and talk about moments in American history. Each large poster is laminated so students can touch them as they share impressions and observations. Where else can school children touch works of art? Learning is often most effective through tactile and visual means and may spark a lifelong interest in the arts.

    As a first time visitor to the White House, my impressions included surprise that the East Room is not bigger. I’ve seen it in press conferences on television for decades, and I pictured it as cold and cavernous--not welcoming and decorated in warm colors.

    The biggest surprises, however, were Laura Bush’s considerable poise (she spoke at length, without notes) and warmth. She was clearly delighted to support “Picturing America” and pointed out, with pride, that one of the forty featured works of art is Gilbert Stuart’s portrait of George Washington hanging right next to the podium. She gave out the website address where schools can access the application to receive the reproductions (www.picturingamerica.gov). The deadline is April 15.

    I took pictures with my very unprofessional camera, and loved the image of the chandeliers multiplied infinitely in huge mirrors. I even photographed the rug. But after 30 minutes the event was over, and we were escorted swiftly from the roped area to a basement door.

    Exit White House. But I now have my own pictures of an American icon to remember it by.

Comments

[adriana]

This is an interesting but frustratingly safe project. I hope that the teachers who order these images will offer a less sanitized version of U.S. history than the "Picturing America" website does. I loved your photographs of your visit. I had no idea that they had to raise that chandelier for Baryshnikov. Great trivia!

[adriana]

I should add that I'll have to reserve most of my criticism until after all of the images are posted. I do like that home school consortia are eligible for this.

[Erica]

Yes--totally safe. Yet if you were to see the young kids touching the posters and seeing this art for the first time, you wouldn't splice hairs. Yes, NEH is going the safe route. That's the way they get funding. I am a bit jaded and much older than you and David are, so I see this as better than nothing and you, quite rightly, see it as a lot less powerful than it could be! The photo of the migrant mother and daughters is a powerful image, though, which I'm sure you've studied at TJ. Most students never see that image, but now many will. Thanks for your comments, btw. You are one of my favorite readers (and people)!!! (of course....)