Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch Resigns Amid Trump Administration Attacks
Lonnie G. Bunch III, the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, will resign by the end of the year, expressing 'very mixed emotions' due to harassment and political pressure from the Trump administration. This change marks a significant shift in leadership for the largest museum complex globally. In other news, artist Lucien Smith, renowned for his abstract works, passed away at the age of 37. On September 8, two valuable paintings were stolen from the Renoir Museum in France, with thieves abandoning two others during their escape. Additionally, David Rubenstein acquired Joel Shapiro's sculpture 'Blue' (2019) after it was taken down from the Kennedy Center. The newsletter includes critiques of René Balcer, Sophie Lewis's 'Femmephilia,' and Ann Patchett's 'Whistler,' along with a reminder for submissions for the 2026 Toni Beauchamp Prize, due by September 14, 2026.
Key facts
- Lonnie G. Bunch III is stepping down as Smithsonian Secretary by the end of the year.
- Bunch cited 'very mixed emotions' and months of harassment and political prodding from the Trump White House.
- Artist Lucien Smith died at age 37.
- Two paintings were stolen from the Renoir Museum in southern France on September 8.
- Thieves dropped two other paintings in the museum's garden while being chased by police.
- David Rubenstein purchased Joel Shapiro's 'Blue' (2019) after it was deinstalled from the Kennedy Center grounds.
- John Yau wrote about René Balcer, a Law & Order writer and photographer.
- Robert Choe-Henderson wrote a feature on Korean hanji paper.
- Eileen G'Sell reviewed Sophie Lewis's 'Femmephilia'.
- Lavinia Liang reviewed Ann Patchett's novel 'Whistler'.
- The 2026 Toni Beauchamp Prize in Critical Art Writing has a deadline of September 14, 2026.
Entities
Artists
- Lonnie G. Bunch III
- Lucien Smith
- Joel Shapiro
- René Balcer
- Robert Choe-Henderson
- Sophie Lewis
- Ann Patchett
- Yayoi Kusama
- Kanye West
- Jean-Luc Godard
- John Yau
- Eileen G'Sell
- Lavinia Liang
- Andrew Berardini
- Hakim Bishara
- Phillip Pyle
- Seph Rodney
Institutions
- Smithsonian Institution
- Trump White House
- Renoir Museum
- John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
- National Park Service
- Law & Order
- Concordia University
- Addison Gallery of American Art
- Smithsonian American Art Museum
- Renwick Gallery
- Gulf Coast Journal
- Hyperallergic
- The Met
Locations
- Washington, D.C.
- United States
- France
- New York
- Montreal
- Canada