Former Kennedy Center chairman buys sculpture removed from center
In a dramatic twist, former Kennedy Center chairman David Rubenstein has stepped in to rescue the 24‑foot steel sculpture Blue by Joel Shapiro after it was taken down from the performing arts complex.
The work, installed in 2019 as a gift to the Center’s Reach addition, was described by Shapiro as a “celebration of possibility.” Its removal, reportedly ordered by former president Donald Trump and his appointee Richard Grenell, sparked speculation about a sweeping overhaul of the Center’s outdoor art program.
Rubenstein paid more than $2 million for the piece, acquiring it from the Joel Shapiro and Ellen Phelan Foundation. He plans to reinstall Blue in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, where it can be viewed against the backdrop of the Potomac.
The episode underscores the fraught intersection of politics and public art, as the Kennedy Center faces a contested $250 million renovation and legal battles over its name and future.