Jimmy Carter, 39th President of the United States, Larry Schwarm

Artwork Overview

born 1944
Jimmy Carter, 39th President of the United States, 2002
Portfolio/Series title: American President series
Where object was made: United States
Material/technique: chromogenic color print
Dimensions:
Image Dimensions Height/Width (Height x Width): 101.5 x 76.1 cm
Image Dimensions Height/Width (Height x Width): 39 15/16 x 29 15/16 in
Sheet/Paper Dimensions (Height x Width): 101.5 x 76.1 cm
Sheet/Paper Dimensions (Height x Width): 39 15/16 x 29 15/16 in
Mat Dimensions (Height x Width): 45 x 36 in
Credit line: Gift of the artist
Accession number: 2006.0107
Not on display

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Audio

Didactic – Art Minute
Didactic – Art Minute
Episode 276 (revised Episode 108) Jun-2007, revised Dec-2012, Emily Ryan I’m David Cateforis with another Art Minute from the Spencer Museum of Art. Photographer Larry Schwarm is well known for his stirring images of the prairie fires that sweep across the Flint Hills of Kansas. A recent body of work reveals another very different personal interest: "Kitsch". Schwarm frequents junk stores and antique shops searching for gaudy treasures. One such find, a cross-stitched portrait of John F. Kennedy, stimulated this recent series, "American Presidents". When Schwarm took the portrait out of its frame to photograph it, he discovered the complex network of threads on the back and found them more intriguing than the front. Schwarm began pondering the idea of the private person behind the public mask. He found a needlepoint portrait of Dwight Eisenhower, and with members of his family, created stitched portraits of six other presidents. Aiming to present a traditional “handiwork” to an audience that wouldn’t typically see it, Schwarm made large-format color photographs of the backs of these cross-stitched portraits. The images are so crisp that viewers question whether they are actual stiched works. You can see Schwarm's impressive "American Presidents" series in the Spencer print room on walk ins welcome Fridays, or by appointment. With thanks to Emily Ryan for her text, from the Spencer Museum of Art, I’m David Cateforis.