When it comes to approaching lifestyle, the unicorn for me is an activity that is supremely entertaining and also cost effective. However, this unicorn can be very challenging to find when traveling or coordinating plans with other people. This past weekend I was in New York City and made plans to visit the Cloisters, the Met’s branch in upper Manhattan that houses (and in some places is made of) medieval art and architecture. At the Met museums, residents of New York State can get tickets for themselves and a guest at a “donation only” rate. So admission can be free, or at a significantly reduced cost. A great start to the day for those of us in the growing wealth phase of life.
We happened to show up just in time for the tour and decided to follow along in order to better learn about this medieval retrospective. Although there was treasure throughout the museum, by far the most intriguing place to me was the Unicorn Tapestries Room. Our tour group paced around the room, first learning the story of four large tapestries that seemed to go together, showing the hunt of a mythical unicorn. Then, set apart from the others was a solitary vertical tapestry that drew me in, with its millefleur wallpaper of colorful flowers and fruits and central unicorn inside a wooden pen. The tapestry in itself was a beauty, but the likeness to another piece of art also hit me…
Artist Kehinde Wiley painted the commissioned portrait of President Barack Obama that was unveiled in 2018 and hangs in the National Portrait Gallery. Wiley is known for depicting modern subjects, often African American men, in the style of classical paintings. One of his most famous works mirrors Napoleon Crossing the Alps. Wiley has shared that the chosen flowers in the president’s portrait are symbols of places in Obama’s history. However, the artist has not given a particular historical reference for the portrait. Can we see one inspiration in the Unicorn Tapestry?
Unicorn symbols have been closely linked to Obama since his first presidential campaign. Fans and detractors alike talked about his almost magical presence and the fantasies of what he could accomplish. A quick image search will show many versions of Obama-unicorn art and memes, from biblical to downright erotic. Even his wife Michelle wrote in her autobiography that when she met him, he was “like a unicorn.” Wiley- a virtuoso in classical and modern art, pop and elite culture- could weave together these symbols into an important portrait. In turn, Wiley gives us all a lesson for approaching lifestyle by mixing and matching meaningful parts, and by being open to ideas from unexpected places.
My casual visit to the Met Cloisters turned into an exciting dive through art, symbolism, and politics that’s kept me entertained for far longer than the hour-long tour. Do you think the Unicorn Tapestry could be an inspiration for Wiley’s portrait of President Obama? What are your lifestyle unicorns?
Clinician Lifestylist 