Art News. Vasari Codex

museum exhibitions schedule Jun 24, 2025 visibility 19 link 7 artists

obama portrait national portrait gallery

The Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC, unveiled the official portraits of former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama on February 12, 2018. The portraits were painted by Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald, respectively, marking the first time the museum has commissioned African American artists to paint a presidential couple. The ceremony was attended by notable figures including former Vice President Joe Biden, director Steven Spielberg, and actor Tom Hanks. Wiley depicted Obama seated in a chair surrounded by botanicals symbolizing his heritage, while Sherald painted Michelle Obama in her signature grayscale palette wearing a geometric dress inspired by Piet Mondrian and Gee's Bend quilts.

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article policy schedule May 30, 2025 visibility 15 link 4 artists

national portrait gallery director fired trump

President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he had fired Kim Sajet, director of the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., citing her as a "highly partisan person" and a "strong supporter of DEI." Sajet had led the museum since 2013, and her termination follows a series of executive orders targeting the Smithsonian Institution, including one in March that criticized "anti-American ideology" at its museums. The museum currently features the exhibition "America’s Presidents," which includes a portrait of Trump with a caption referencing his impeachments and the January 6 Capitol attack. The National Portrait Gallery did not respond to requests for comment, and no replacement has been named.

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person people schedule Aug 14, 2025 visibility 17 link 16 artists, 6 galleries

Alton Yan

Alton Yan has been appointed as the new director of the Asia Society Museum in New York, effective immediately. Yan, previously a curator at the museum, succeeds the outgoing director and brings extensive experience in Asian contemporary art to the role.

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article policy schedule Feb 9, 2026 visibility 16 link 5 artists

trump wants his own smithsonian npg display

The White House is pushing for a dedicated display of fan-created portraits of President Donald Trump at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery. Administration officials, following a December tour, suggested installing a selection of artwork sent to the president by supporters, a move that would break with the museum's tradition of reserving multiple depictions for former presidents.

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article policy schedule Jan 12, 2026 visibility 17 link 2 artists

smithsonian drops wall text mentioning trumps double impeachment

The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery has removed wall text referencing President Trump’s two impeachments from its “America’s Presidents” exhibition after installing a new black-and-white portrait of him by White House photographer Daniel Torok. The original label noted Trump’s impeachments for abuse of power and inciting insurrection, but the revised text now identifies him only as the 45th and 47th president and his birth year. The change follows years of contention from the Trump administration, which compiled a list of complaints accusing former director Kim Sajet of political bias; Sajet resigned, and Elliot Gruber now serves as acting director.

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article policy schedule May 30, 2025 visibility 19 link 5 artists

Trump claims he has fired director of US National Portrait Gallery

US President Donald Trump claimed on his Truth Social platform that he has fired Kim Sajet, director of the National Portrait Gallery (NPG), alleging she is a "highly partisan person" and a supporter of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Sajet, who became the first woman to lead the NPG in 2013, has not commented, and the Smithsonian declined to comment. It remains unclear whether Trump has the legal authority to fire Smithsonian employees, as the institution is governed by a board of regents and receives partial federal funding.

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article policy schedule Feb 16, 2026 visibility 17 link 5 artists

White House presses Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery for new Trump portrait and display

The White House has suggested that the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery create a dedicated section to display multiple images of President Donald Trump, including a new painted portrait, during his current term. This proposal came during a December visit by State Department and White House officials, who noted the president receives much artwork from supporters that could be curated for display.

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article policy schedule Jan 13, 2026 visibility 22 link 4 artists

Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery removes wall text mentioning Trump’s impeachments

The Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC, has removed wall text accompanying a portrait of Donald Trump that mentioned his two impeachments. The text, part of the America's Presidents exhibition, listed Trump's achievements and noted he was impeached for abuse of power and incitement of insurrection, then acquitted by the Senate. The portrait by Matt McClain was replaced with a black-and-white photo by Daniel Torok, with a simplified label stating only Trump's birth year and status as the 45th and 47th president. The museum says it is beginning a planned update of the gallery, which will close from April 6 to May 14.

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