The Tamesis
Amy Sherald, a painter known for her tender portraits of black life in America, has signed with talent agency Creative Artists Agency (CCA), marking the latest high-profile crossover between the art world and Hollywood.
Sherald rose to prominence in 2018 when she was commissioned by former First Lady Michelle Obama to paint an official portrait for the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) in Washington, DC. The piece depicts a grayscale portrait of Obama, posing against a light blue background with his chin in his hand, wearing a Milly plaid dress by Michelle Smith, patterned after a Gee’s Bend quilt.
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While the painting is not typical for an official national portrait, it fits perfectly with Sherald’s visual language: a muted palette and minimalist backgrounds accentuate the emotional gravity of her subjects, who were often black Americans. (In 2016, NPG awarded her Outwin Boochever Portrait Contest Grand Prize, making her the first woman and first African American to receive this honor. )
Represented by Hauser & Wirth, Sherald has exhibited widely internationally, and her work is included in the collections of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Tate Britain network, among others. In 2025, she would become the first black contemporary artist to have a solo show at the National Portrait Gallery; however, censorship controversies ultimately led to her canceling the show.
Sherald said the decision came after learning about her paintings freedom of transformationThe Black, transgender Statue of Liberty may be removed from exhibits, in an alleged attempt by Smithsonian leadership to avoid the wrath of President Trump. Since taking office in January 2025, the Trump administration has made conservative reforms to the arts a priority and has made the Smithsonian museums, stewards of the nation’s visual heritage, a top target. The painting later appeared on the cover of the magazine new yorker.
At CAA, Sherald joins a distinguished list of artists represented by the agency, including Arthur Jafa and Julien Schnabel. As previously reported art newsFounded by five powerhouse agents, including Top 200 collector Michael Ovitz, Creative Artists Agency is part of a recent trend of major talent agencies, including UTA, entering the artist representation space.
“It’s possible that this new model could work, but personally I don’t believe anyone can represent an artist without a space,” Ovitz previously said art news”, adding that the best dealers — like Barbara Gladstone and Pace Gallery founder Arne Glimcher — “make a living doing art, making a living from it. “
