Amy Sherald, the painter known for her tender portraits of Black American life, has signed with Creative Artists Agency (CAA), a major talent agency. Sherald, who has been represented globally by Hauser & Wirth since 2018, rose to fame after painting Michelle Obama's official portrait for the National Portrait Gallery. She was set to become the first Black contemporary artist to have a solo exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in 2025, but canceled the show after a censorship controversy involving her painting 'Trans Forming Liberty.'
This move marks the latest high-profile crossover between the art world and Hollywood, as major talent agencies like CAA and UTA increasingly represent visual artists. Sherald joins a roster that includes Arthur Jafa and Julian Schnabel, and the trend raises questions about whether agencies can effectively represent artists without gallery spaces, as noted by CAA co-founder and collector Michael Ovitz.