the white house is updating to modern[art]times (well, sorta, that means art 25 years old)

"...The Obamas are sending ripples through the art world as they put the call out to museums, galleries and private collectors that they’d like to borrow modern art by African-American, Asian, Hispanic and female artists for the White House. In a sharp departure from the 19th-century still lifes, pastorals and portraits that dominate the White House’s public rooms, they are choosing bold, abstract art works....
The museum also sent over New York artist Glenn Ligon’s 'Black Like Me,' a stenciled work about the segregated South, among others that the Obamas are still considering, according to a White House spokeswoman...
Potential additions to the permanent collection must be at least 25 years old, and the White House does not typically accept pieces by living artists for its collection, because inclusion could impact an artist’s market value. As a result, there aren’t many modern art choices in the collection, Mr. Allman says..." Changing the Art on the White House Walls, WSJ