President Jimmy Carter, Tireless Supporter of Art, Has Died at 100
On Sunday, the Carter Center in Atlanta announced that Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States, has died at 100 years old. While Carter was best known as a tireless advocate for human rights and world peace, he also leaves behind a long legacy of support for the arts and freedom of expression. Carter’s connection to the world of art began during his successful presidential campaign in 1976. That year, in a bid to position the then-governor of Georgia as a fresh-faced progressive, the Democratic National Convention commissioned Andy Warhol to create a portrait of Carter at his home (and peanut farm) in the quiet city of Plains. Warhol made three portraits, but it was the photo-collage Jimmy Carter I that was sold in prints to raise money for the campaign. Related Articles After Carter entered the presidency in 1977, he invited five American artists, including Warhol, to the White House for the opening of the exhibition “Inaugural Impressions,” which included commissioned works showing Carter’s inauguration. The other artists were Jacob Lawrence, Jamie …
