Painter Amy Sherald canceled what would have been a groundbreaking art show at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery over possible censorship.
Sherald’s “American Sublime” was set to be on display at the museum for five months, starting in September. “American Sublime,” organized by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, would have included Sherald’s famed portraits of Michelle Obama (2018) and Breonna Taylor (2020) as well as one of her 2024 pieces, Trans Forming Liberty, a painting that portrays a transgender Statue of Liberty. The exhibition would have made her the first Black contemporary artist to have a solo exhibition at the Portrait Gallery, according to The New York Times, which first reported the news.
Sherald’s decision comes as the Trump administration attacks trans rights and countless others. Correspondingly, Trump signed an executive order in March requiring that the Smithsonian museums change some of their content, which “promoted narratives that portray American and Western values as inherently harmful and oppressive,” per the order. Trump also granted Vice President JD Vance the power to withdraw funding of the museums if there are “exhibits or programs that degrade shared American values, divide Americans based on race, or promote programs or ideologies inconsistent with Federal law and policy.”
In a statement to multiple outlets, Sherald said that the gallery had been internally discussing the removal and replacement of Trans Forming Liberty, to keep President Donald Trump at bay. As a solution, Lonnie G. Bunch III, the secretary of the Smithsonian, proposed the idea that a video of viewers discussing the work could be included instead, Sherald claimed.
Sherald said in her statement that the video is what prompted her to cancel because it would “have opened up for debate the value of trans visibility and I was opposed to that being a part of the ‘American Sublime’ narrative.”
“While no single person is to blame, it’s clear that institutional fear shaped by a broader climate of political hostility toward trans lives played a role,” she continued. “This painting exists to hold space for someone whose humanity has been politicized and disregarded. I cannot in good conscience comply with a culture of censorship, especially when it targets vulnerable communities.”
“At a time when transgender people are being legislated against, silenced, and endangered across our nation, silence is not an option,” she continued. “I stand by my work. I stand by my sitters. I stand by the truth that all people deserve to be seen — not only in life, but in art.”
In a letter on Wednesday, she explained to Bunch that she was dropping the show, according to The New York Times.
“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. “Unfortunately, it has become clear that the conditions no longer support the integrity of the work as conceived.’’
The Smithsonian denied that it intended to replace her piece with a video.
“The video was to accompany the painting as a way to contextualize the piece,” a Smithsonian spokesperson said in a statement sent to multiple publications. “It was not to replace Amy Sherald’s painting.”
The Smithsonian also released a second statement that said: “While we understand Amy’s decision to withdraw her show from the National Portrait Gallery, we are disappointed that Smithsonian audiences will not have an opportunity to experience ‘American Sublime.’”
“By presenting and contextualizing art, the Smithsonian aims to inspire, challenge and impact audiences in meaningful and thoughtful ways,” the statement added. “Unfortunately, we could not come to an agreement with the artist. We remain appreciative and inspired by Ms. Sherald, her artwork and commitment to portraiture.”
HuffPost reached out to the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery but did not immediately hear back. HuffPost also attempted to contact Sherald.