Portrait artist Amy Sherald signs with CCA.  Image: Artist/Instagram

Amy Sherald signs with CAA after rising to prominence with Michelle Obama’s portrait and navigating recent Smithsonian tensions.

BY KAZEEM ADELEKE

Amy Sherald signs with CAA, placing the celebrated American painter inside one of Hollywood’s most powerful talent agencies as major firms expand into the visual arts. The agency confirmed the move this week. It signals a broader shift in how contemporary artists secure representation across media industries.

Sherald rose to national prominence in 2018 after former First Lady Michelle Obama selected her to paint her official portrait for the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. The painting departed from established presidential portrait tradition. It depicts Obama in grayscale against a pale blue background, her chin resting on her hand. She wears a patterned Milly dress that references the historic quilts of Gee’s Bend, Alabama.

The portrait brought Sherald international recognition and cemented a visual language she had developed for years. Her work favors restrained color, simplified settings, and quiet emotional intensity. Her subjects are most often Black Americans appearing with stillness and dignity.

Award-Winning Career and Museum Presence

Before the Obama commission, Sherald had already earned critical acclaim. In 2016, the National Portrait Gallery awarded her the grand prize in the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition, making her the first woman and first African American artist to receive the honor.

Now represented by Hauser & Wirth, Sherald has exhibited widely in the United States and abroad. Her work is in major institutional collections. They include the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Her paintings are also at the Tate museums in the United Kingdom.

Canceled Smithsonian Exhibition and Political Tensions

In 2025, artist Amy Sherald was on track to become the first Black contemporary artist to receive a solo exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. She later withdrew from the exhibition after learning that the museum might exclude one of her paintings.

The work, Trans Forming Liberty, portrays the Statue of Liberty as a Black transgender figure. Sherald said museum officials raised concerns about potential political backlash. Since taking office in January 2025, the Trump administration has prioritized a conservative restructuring of federal arts institutions, placing the Smithsonian Institution under heightened scrutiny.

The painting later appeared on the cover of  The New Yorker, drawing renewed attention to debates over artistic freedom and censorship.

CAA Expands Its Visual Arts Roster

By signing Sherald, Creative Artists Agency adds another high-profile artist to its growing visual arts roster. The agency also represents Arthur Jafa and Julien Schnabel, reflecting a wider industry trend as talent firms move beyond film and television.

A group of influential agents founded CAA, including prominent collector Michael Ovitz. Ovitz has questioned whether artists can thrive without gallery infrastructure. Despite those concerns, agencies continue to pursue artists with cross-disciplinary reach.

What the Signing Signals

Amy Sherald signs with CAA at a moment when the boundaries between fine art, entertainment, and politics continue to blur. The partnership positions her for broader opportunities across film, publishing, and cultural media, reinforcing her status as one of the most influential American painters of her generation.