Letter: Trump-directed removal of a sculpture from the Kennedy Center echoes Nazi targeting of art
On September 1, the administration ordered the removal of Joel Shapiro's sculpture “Blue” from the grounds of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, bypassing input from curators and conservators.
The abstract bronze, which Shapiro has said is “about action and risk and performance and energy – a celebration of possibility,” had been a fixture of the center’s outdoor space, inviting passersby to pause and contemplate.
The episode evokes the 1937 Nazi campaign against “degenerate art,” when the regime seized modern works from German museums and persecuted their creators, a stark reminder of how political power can be wielded against cultural expression.
Critics argue that the removal signals a troubling willingness to reshape public art according to partisan agendas, raising concerns about the future stewardship of cultural landmarks.