American artist Amy Sherald has cancelled her solo exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. According to CNN, the exhibition was cancelled because of institutional censorship and a lack of support for her creative vision. The show, titled American Sublime, was set to open in September. This would have made Sherald the first Black contemporary artist to have a solo exhibition at the Portrait Gallery.
Sherald Associating With Transgender Representation
The controversy starts with Sherald’s 2024 painting Trans Forming Liberty, a review of the Statue of Liberty, featuring a Black transgender subject. The subject is in a blue gown, holding a torch in a bouquet-like shape. According to Sherald, the museum had concerns about displaying the piece and proposed removing it from the exhibition.
According to Artnet News, in a letter addressed to Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III, Sherald wrote, “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. Unfortunately, it has become clear that the conditions no longer support the integrity of the work as conceived.”
In addition, he museum suggested replacing the painting with a video showing public reactions to the artwork. Sherald refused, saying this move would have “opened up for debate the value of trans visibility,” as quoted by BET. She emphasised that even though there is no particular person to blame, politics and fear within institutions have a role in cancelling the work.
Furthermore, as reported by The Washington Post, the Smithsonian issued a statement expressing disappointment over Sherald’s decision, saying it had hoped to include a larger discussion through the proposed video, not to replace her work. “We value Amy Sherald’s contributions to American portraiture and respect her decision,” the statement read.
American Sublime was previously at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and is currently on view at the Whitney Museum of American Art until August 10.
