Artist Amy Sherald has withdrawn her upcoming solo exhibition ‘American Sublime’ from the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, citing concerns over institutional censorship. According to ‘The New York Times,’ Sherald made the decision after being told the museum was considering removing her painting of a transgender Statue of Liberty-- titled ‘Trans Forming Liberty’ - to avoid potential issues with the Trump administration. Sherald, best known for her official portrait of Michelle Obama, declined a proposed compromise involving a contextual video, saying it would undercut the work’s message and visibility. A Smithsonian spokesperson said “The video was to accompany the painting as a way to contextualize the piece… It was not to replace Amy Sherald’s painting.” ‘American Sublime,’ which would have marked the Portrait Gallery’s first solo show by a Black contemporary artist. #AmySherald #AmericanSublime #Smithsonian #TransArt #Censorship #ArtNews #LGBTQIA #MichelleObama