Artists Reclaim Lady Liberty as Protest Symbol on US 250th
In a Fourth of July weekend newsletter, Hyperallergic critic Aruna D'Souza examines how artists have used the Statue of Liberty as a tool of protest. She cites Faith Ringgold, Claes Oldenburg, Amy Sherald, and Marta Minujín. Sherald canceled her National Portrait Gallery show after the Smithsonian allegedly censored her painting of a Black trans woman as Lady Liberty. Separately, Ed Simon revisits the Hudson River School's anxieties about industrialization and empire. The Museum of Fine Arts Boston reinstalled its Art of the Americas wing with 400 objects including a Mohawk bust of George Washington. Art sales benefit Venezuela aid. Lyles & King gallery closes after 11 years. Swiss Institute moves to the Bowery.
Key facts
- Aruna D'Souza wrote about artists using the Statue of Liberty as protest
- Amy Sherald canceled National Portrait Gallery show over censorship concerns
- Sherald's painting depicted Black trans woman Arewà Basit as Statue of Liberty
- Faith Ringgold, Claes Oldenburg, Marta Minujín also cited
- Ed Simon wrote about Hudson River School painters
- MFA Boston reinstalled Art of the Americas with 400 objects
- Mohawk artist's bust of George Washington included in MFA installation
- Art sales benefit Venezuela aid efforts
- Lyles & King gallery closed after 11 years
- Swiss Institute moving to Bowery in NYC
Entities
Artists
- Aruna D'Souza
- Faith Ringgold
- Claes Oldenburg
- Amy Sherald
- Marta Minujín
- Arewà Basit
- Ed Simon
- Raymond Pettibon
- Abdelkader Benchamma
- Steve DiBenedetto
- Raven Chacon
- James Turrell
- Ken Weine
- Lakshmi Rivera Amin
Institutions
- Hyperallergic
- National Portrait Gallery
- Smithsonian Institution
- Museum of Fine Arts Boston
- Swiss Institute
- Seattle Art Museum
- Lyles & King
- Paul & Daisy Soros Foundation
- Ucross
- AICA International
Locations
- United States
- Boston
- New York City
- Bowery
- Venezuela
- Denmark