The painting was finished just six years after France's abolition of
slavery and has been regarded by art historians as a commentary on both
sexism and racism. Not surprisingly, the image has many critics in the
U.S. and Europe wondering if the cover was designed to be more
provocative than political ... ya think?! For its part, the magazine lauds
Michelle Obama as the "gran mujer" (great woman) behind her powerful
husband. An excerpt of the cover story reads: "In the shadow of the U.S.
President is a person whose popularity ratings exceed those of Barack’s
own. This person is none other than his wife Michelle." "To find out
how Michelle has managed to seduce the American people, [we] detail the
secrets of a woman who has won [America's hearts]." Many believe it
smacks of racism and reinforces the historical denial of black female
individuality, but artist Karine Percheron-Daniels stands by it. In
fact, she thinks Michelle would "love" the picture and would love to
show it to Mrs. Obama one day. We wouldn't hold our breath if we were
Karine.
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