Amy Sherald Cancels Smithsonian Exhibition over Censorship
142July 26, 2025
Amy Sherald has terminated her forthcoming show, “American Sublime,” at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery over censorship concerns. Sherald, who gained wide acclaim for her2018 portrait of Michelle Obama, said that she made the decision after learning that the institution was planning on removing her 2024 paintingTrans Forming Liberty, depicting a transgender Statue of Liberty, in order to avoid enraging President 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,” wrote Sherald in a letter to Smithsonian secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III and reprinted in part in theNew York Times, which broke the story. “Unfortunately, it has become clear that the conditions no longer support the integrity of the work as conceived.’’
Sherald in a statement said that she had been “informed that internal concerns had been raised” aboutTrans Forming Libertyand that the concerns had led to discussions about the work being excluded from the exhibition. “It’s clear that institutional fear shaped by a broader climate of political hostility toward trans lives played a role,” said the artist.
According to Sherald, Bunch suggested replacing the canvas with a video of people responding to the work and talking about transgender issues. Sherald rejected the idea on the grounds that “the video 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.”
The exhibition, which originated at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and ison view through August 10at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, would have been the Smithsonian’s first solo presentation of a contemporary Black artist.
“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’.” said the Smithsonian in a statement.
“The Smithsonian strives to foster a greater and shared understanding,” the statement continued. “By presenting and contextualizing art, the Smithsonian aims to inspire, challenge and impact audiences in meaningful and thoughtful ways. 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.”
Earlier this year, National Portrait Gallery director Kim Sajet departed after Trump falsely claimed on social media that he had fired her for being “a strong supporter of DEI.” The Smithsonian, which oversees twenty-one museums, as well as libraries, research centers, and the National Zoo, has been struggling to respond to the president’s accusations that its exhibitions prioritize diversity and fail to acknowledge “the greatness of our nation or the millions of Americans who have contributed to its progress.” Though it is not a federal organization, the Smithsonian receives roughly two-thirds of its $1 billion annual budget through Congress. In a June 9 resolution, it ordered the directors of the entities entrusted to it to review their content for any bias.