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A brand-new website called BadPaintingsofBarackObama.com is living up to its name, displaying exactly what it suggests – strange portraits of America’s president.
Internet surfers are treated to a collection of images of President Obama from a variety of artists, with no commentary at all on the site. Readers merely click each image or refresh the page to see another of the approximately 50 items in the gallery.
The site is the creation of Chris Collins, a 24-year old artist and Web designer in Cincinnati, Ohio.
“It’s just really bizarre because I made it on a Sunday night to amuse a friend of mine,” Collins told WND. “Then all of a sudden, the way things happen on the Internet, it went viral.”
Created in late February, the site already has 135,000 unique visitors.
Collins, a self-described Democrat who voted for Obama, says the site is not intended to be political, but is merely a tribute to the paintings themselves, sharing the artwork created by those who got excited over Obama’s election.
“I put this thing out there with no editorializing on my part, just for other people to interpret as they see fit,” he said.
“The ones that I chose were coming from the sense of enthusiasm. What they lack in technical expertise they make up for in sincerity and enthusiasm. I didn’t make it to make fun of them, I think they’re all great in their own way. They’re hilarious and brilliant and really strange.”
Strange indeed.
One portrait has a taco on Obama’s head and a pair of underpants in his hand, along with a Mexican flag flying atop the White House.
Another has a third eye in the middle of Obama’s forehead.
Still another reminds Collins of a famous comic book character.
“There’s one where he’s Hulk green with wind turbines in the background,” Collins said. “Clearly the point is environmental issues, but he just also looks like the Incredible Hulk. I love them all in their own way.”
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The White House did not return a WND request for comment about the collection.
But Collins pointed out: “If the White House is reading this right now, I’ve been reading about their Wednesday evening cocktail parties. So I’d really like to be invited.”
Collins, who holds a degree in Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, also stresses he hasn’t made any money from his online museum.
“I have ideas and things might be in the works, but I’m perfectly content with it being just this weird thing on the Internet.”
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