Artist Amy Sherald cancels Smithsonian show over censorship

Artist Amy Sherald has decided to withdraw her upcoming show at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery over fears of censorship.

Sherald, who gained wider recognition after her portrait of Michelle Obama, was set to become the first contemporary Black artist to have an exhibition at the gallery.

According to the New York Times, her show American Sublime has now been cancelled after she was told her painting of a transgender Statue of Liberty might be removed over fears of offending Donald Trump.

“I entered into this collaboration in good faith, believing that the institution shared a commitment to presenting work that reflects the full, complex truth of American life,” Sherald wrote in a letter. “Unfortunately, it has become clear that the conditions no longer support the integrity of the work as conceived.’’

In a statement obtained by the Times, she added: “It’s clear that institutional fear shaped by a broader climate of political hostility toward trans lives played a role.”

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2025/jul/24/amy-sherald-cancels-smithsonian-show

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Good for her!!