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21h ago

Amy Sherald Pulls 'American Sublime' From Smithsonian Over Censorship Concerns

Sherald said institutional fear of political backlash over a painting of a Black transgender Statue of Liberty undermined the exhibition's integrity.

Amy Sherald, Trans Forming Liberty, 2024. Oil on linen, 123 × 76 1/2 × 2 1/2in. (312.4 × 194.3 × 6.35 cm).
“Trans Forming Liberty,” along with some 50 works in total, is currently on view at the Whitney.
Image

Overview

  • Sherald canceled her September show at the National Portrait Gallery after being told officials considered removing her painting “Trans Forming Liberty.”
  • American Sublime would have marked the first solo exhibition by a Black contemporary artist at the Smithsonian’s Portrait Gallery.
  • Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III proposed replacing the disputed painting with a video of viewer reactions, a suggestion Sherald rejected.
  • A March executive order by President Trump directing museums to drop content deemed harmful to “shared American values” intensified scrutiny of Smithsonian exhibitions.
  • The Smithsonian expressed disappointment at losing the show and reiterated its appreciation for Sherald’s work while its autonomy faces review for political influence.