Artist Amy Sherald announced that she has decided to cancel her upcoming exhibition at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., the institution’s first extensive solo exhibition hosted by black artists. The move comes after she discovers that the museum is considering the discovery of eliminating or negative context Transgender freedom From her widely acclaimed major investigation, “America Sublime,” the survey made its debut at SFMOMA and spent two weeks at Whitney.
“As painters, I believe portraits have the ability to witness, dignity and the ability to persist in the presence – especially for those who often become invisible,” Sherald wrote in a statement shared with Observer. “We live in a society with selective memory, often overlooking its edge.” She continued, “We have been living in a society with selective memory, often overlooking its edge.” She continued to explain that internal concerns about the inclusion of the painting have already attracted internal attention, which is based on a blue dress and holding a bouquet of orange daisies. “While no one should blame it, it is clear that institutional fear plays a role due to the wider atmosphere of political hostility towards trans life. This painting exists in providing space for people who are politicized and ignored by humanity. I cannot conscience a culture of censorship, especially when it targets vulnerable communities.”
Sherald’s withdrawal marks a turning point for artists facing political intervention as increased tensions continue to reshape the museums in Washington. At a moment of legislation, silence and harm from trans peoples’ entire United States, she clearly shows that silence is not an option. “I stick to my job. I stand by my nanny. I stick to the fact that everyone should be seen, not just life, but in art.”
Sherald’s rising profile and core message is embedded in her practice and in “America Sublime” – in stark contrast to the ideological shift that now reshapes the Smithsonian Complex and other federally funded DC museums, especially since the beginning of the Trump administration. Now, the exhibition is under scrutiny by the White House, who once believed that the directions these institutions have taken in recent years have undermined the “direction that our country’s greatness or millions of Americans have contributed to progress.” These claims stem from Trump’s March 2025 executive order, restoring the truth and sanity of American history, which aims to clear what he calls “impaired ideology.” Although the order explicitly targets the Smithsonians, its coverage also extends to monuments and memorials under the Department of the Interior, according to the Congressional Research Services.
Although the Smithsonians are not technically federal agencies, it operates under the supervision of the board of directors, which was formed by Congress in 1846. The current committee includes the Vice President, the Chief Justice of the United States, six members of Congress and nine Citizen Regents. The agency also received about two-thirds of its $1 billion budget from the federal government, and now it is a leverage to expand political oversight.
On June 13, Kim Sajet (who has led the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery since 2013) announced her resignation, days after former President Trump publicly claimed that his support for her Dei’s initiative “fired” her, calling her “a highly partisan and a staunch supporter of Dei, which was completely unsuitable for her position.” As one of his first executive actions in his second term, Trump signed Executive Order 14151: Ending radical and wasteful administration DEI program and signed Preference on January 20. The order requires all federal agencies to terminate activities related to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, including the immediate closure of all DEI offices, including all Dei Offices and the Dei-Dei-Removal Confly of Federal Contrended Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrenated Contrended Contrenated Contrended Contrenated Contrended Contrenated Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Contrended Cont After Sajet left, Smithsonian’s museum and culture secretary Kevin Gover was appointed as the acting interim director of the National Portrait Gallery.
Meanwhile, more provocative responses to the government’s conspiracy in the cultural field are not yet in short supply. Earlier this week, artist provocateur Andres Serrano (known for his “blasphemy”) Urinate Christ) A proposal for an ace-centric American pavilion was released at the Venice Biennale. It expands his ongoing projects Game: All things of the aceIt’s a massive multidimensional installation consisting of more than a thousand Trump-related objects, products and souvenirs, most obtained from eBay for at least $200,000. Trove includes merchandise related to Trump’s hotels, casinos and branded businesses to 11-foot neon self-sign saved from The Taj Mahal’s Ego Lounge, and 2004 Trump’s banner portrait portraits. Title reference. Trump: Gamea monopoly style board game released in 1989 by Milton Bradley.
When the observer asked what the final message might be and how he expected the international audience to explain the work, Serrano replied ineffectively: “I am not in the information side, but the idea I have put forward about the world.” “Personally, I think it is an idea.
Even if the world’s most important biennial is imminent, the artists of American Gazebo remain unannounced. Delays have attracted increasing attention to potential censorship or nationalist instrumentalization, and also involve the feasibility of achieving work on this scale on such a compressed timeline.
