
As censorship rises, is there a future for truly political, truth-telling art?
The article reports on the growing censorship of politically charged art in the US, focusing on the case of artist Amy Sherald. In August, the White House under President Donald Trump issued a statement criticizing the Smithsonian Institution for including Sherald's painting *Trans Forming Liberty* (2024), which depicts a transgender person as the Statue of Liberty, in a planned solo exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. After the Smithsonian considered removing the work, Sherald canceled the entire show, citing a loss of institutional integrity. The Smithsonian subsequently announced a review of its holdings to align with Trump's vision of "American exceptionalism." Separately, the article highlights a monumental street mural by Dutch artist Judith de Leeuw in Roubaix, France, showing the Statue of Liberty covering its eyes in shame, as a direct response to global migrant injustice.















