Carol Vogel called the relevant parties in the choice of art for the White House and got these quotes. Michael Smith is the celebrity decorator who works with the first couple and Harry Cooper is the National Gallery’s curator or Contemporary art:
“We have one rule: We won’t take anything off public display,” Mr. Cooper said in a telephone interview. Nor will the museum lend a work likely to be requested for an exhibition anytime soon. “That limited us to looking at things in storage,” Mr. Cooper added. “But there’s quite a bit.”Continue Reading