Kennedy Center Takes Down Major Outdoor Sculpture After Report Trump Wants Existing Art Purged
Yahoo News Canada • • entertainment
Key Points:
- The 24-foot-tall sculpture "Blue" by artist Joel Shapiro was removed from the Kennedy Center grounds on September 2, 2025, as part of President Donald Trump's controversial renovations of the performing arts center.
- The sculpture, installed in 2019 and described as a "celebration of possibility," was deinstalled at the request of The Joel Shapiro and Ellen Phelan Foundation, which will decide its next location.
- The removal occurred quietly without public announcement and follows broader changes at the Kennedy Center under Trump, including attempts to rename the institution and replace its leadership with Trump allies.
- The Trump administration has threatened legal action to demolish the Kennedy Center and replace it with an outdoor amphitheater if renovation plans are blocked, citing concerns about the building's condition.
- Former Kennedy Center curator Josef Palermo alleged that "Blue" was targeted early in the renovation process and criticized the lack of transparency regarding the handling of the center's art collection.
