Artist Kehinde Wiley Behind Obama Portrait

This is former President Barack Obama's official portrait for the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery.

And  this is the painter  behind the piece: Kehinde Wiley.

Wiley's  style is  self-described as a modern take on classic European paintings — often using black subjects.

It's an intentional way to "interrupt tropes of portrait painting." SEE MORE: Afro Combs Are Art In This Portrait Series But what really stands out in Obama's portrait is the use of plants.  That's a theme  Wiley has explored plenty.

Take a look into his studio from 2014  with Spike Lee  amid a collection of trees.  Some say Wiley's  floral backgrounds  are meant to upend expectations of subjects and dismantle stereotypes of black men.   Wiley notes the flowers included in Obama's portrait are purposeful.  They include  the official flower of Chicago, and flowers native to Kenya and Hawaii.  Additional reporting from  Newsy affiliate CNN .