After pulling her “American Sublime” exhibit from the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery over trans censorship issues, Georgia artist Amy Sherald will now bring the paintings home.
“Amy Sherald: American Sublime” will be at the High Museum of Art from May 15 to Sept. 27.
The exhibit, featuring 50 works from the Clark Atlanta University alum’s career from 2007-2024, will be featured in six thematic galleries tackling race, identity, vulnerable youth and police violence. Part of a national tour, this will be Sherald’s first solo show at the High Museum.
The famed contemporary painter, who hails from Columbus, Georgia, catapulted to international fame when she unveiled her portrait of then-first lady Michelle Obama in 2018.
“America Sublime” was scheduled to make its debut at the National Portrait Gallery in September. Sherald would have been the first Black contemporary artist to be featured in the hallowed halls, but upon hearing “internal concerns” about her transgender Statue of Liberty painting called “Trans Forming Liberty,” the artist pulled the exhibit in July.
“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,” the artist said in a letter to Lonnie G. Bunch III, the secretary of the Smithsonian. “Unfortunately, it has become clear that the conditions no longer support the integrity of the work as conceived.’’
Sherald told the media that Bunch proposed replacing the work with a video featuring people’s reactions to the painting and discussing transgender issues.
“When I understood a video would replace the painting, I decided to cancel,” Sherald said. “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.”
Former first lady Michelle Obama and artist Amy Sherald unveil Michelle Obama’s official portrait at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington in 2018. (Andrew Harnik/Associated Press)
The Smithsonian, which has faced numerous attacks by the Trump administration targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts and attempts to remove work that provokes “divisive race-centered ideology,” responded:
“The Smithsonian strives to foster a greater and shared understanding,” a statement read. “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.”
A White House official told The New York Times, the “removal of this exhibit is a principled and necessary step” toward restoring what it sees as the proper role of institutions like the Smithsonian.
In September, the Human Rights Campaign honored Sherald at its annual dinner, where she received the Ally for Equality Award.
“In the fight for social justice, art has served as a megaphone — it has been a place where dreams are held and a lens through which we can imagine a better, inclusive and more authentic world,” Sherald said in a press release. “Through my work, I seek to make visible the full, complex truth of American life. Transgender people, Black and Brown people, we are all part of the American identity. Attempts to erase our existence is not only futile, but a blatant disservice to the truth.
“As the LGBTQ+ community faces numerous attacks designed to strip back rights and representation, I hope my work reminds us that the LGBTQ+ community is an inseparable thread in the fabric of our country. I am grateful to receive this honor from the Human Rights Campaign and will continue to stand against censorship, discrimination and exclusion — until the world we live in reflects the brightness we’re reaching towards.”
The post Her Trans Statue of Liberty Painting Was Censored. Now the Artist’s Work Is Coming to Atlanta. appeared first on Capital B News – Atlanta.
