Ousted Kennedy Center chairperson buys dismantled 'Blue' sculpture
David Rubenstein has acquired Joel Shapiro’s vivid blue aluminum sculpture, known simply as Blue, after it was taken down from the grounds of the Kennedy Center. The 24‑foot‑tall, stick‑figure‑like work, which has long overlooked the Potomac River, will eventually find a new home in the Sculpture Garden of the National Gallery of Art.
The piece, a site‑specific commission gifted by Joel Shapiro for the opening of the Reach in 2019, resembles a figure caught mid‑kick. Its bright hue and playful form have made it a local landmark, and its sudden removal without notice sparked a wave of criticism from patrons and artists alike.
The removal coincided with a dramatic reshuffling of the Kennedy Center’s board after a political takeover that saw David Rubenstein ousted as chair. The sculpture was transferred to the artist’s foundation, run by his daughter Ivy, and sold for more than $2 million to Rubenstein, a major arts benefactor and now chair of the National Gallery’s board of trustees.
While the Kennedy Center embarks on a two‑year, $250 million renovation, the future of Blue seems secured in Washington’s premier museum garden, where it will continue to celebrate the joy, freedom, and creativity that Shapiro intended.