“Nature Morte, 1982–1988” at Ehrlich Steinberg, Los Angeles

“Nature Morte, 1982–1988” at Ehrlich Steinberg, Los Angeles

A new exhibition at Ehrlich Steinberg gallery in Los Angeles presents "Nature Morte, 1982–1988," a focused survey of still-life paintings from a pivotal period in recent art history. The show brings together works from the 1980s by a generation of artists who reinvigorated the traditional genre during a decade defined by explosive art market growth and the rise of Neo-Expressionism.

fall of freedom 2025

Across the U.S., artists and organizations have organized over 600 pop-up events, performances, readings, and other creative protests as part of Fall of Freedom, a new artist-led movement launching November 21–22. Initiated by artist, curator, and writer Accra Shepp and Puerto Rican artist Miguel Luciano, the program aims to activate the culture community against growing authoritarian threats. Events range from a participatory art action by ABC No Rio in Madison Square Park to a video installation by Los Herederos in a New York subway station, a roving digital billboard by NYC Resistance Salon, and a benefit concert at Pioneer Works headlined by Sheryl Crow. Participating venues include 601ArtSpace, Jack Shainman Gallery, Cristin Tierney Gallery, Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, El Museo del Barrio, and the Bronx Museum, though major institutions are notably absent.

mika rottenberg says trumps smithsonian situation is fucked up

Artist Mika Rottenberg, whose work is included in an upcoming show at the Smithsonian-run Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, called the Trump administration's interference with the Smithsonian "fucked up" in a Vanity Fair article. She praised Amy Sherald for canceling a Smithsonian show, calling it "amazing." British artist Richard Long also expressed concern about the administration "strangling everything" at the institution. The article notes that many other artists with works slated for Smithsonian presentations—including Nick Cave, Paul Chan, Olafur Eliasson, Spencer Finch, and Rashid Johnson—declined to speak to Vanity Fair, reflecting a cautious environment. Dread Scott, however, has been vocal, calling for the regime to be driven from power and urging art institutions to support dissenting artists.

nicholas galanin pulls out smithsonian syposium

Artist Nicholas Galanin withdrew from a symposium tied to the Smithsonian American Art Museum exhibition “The Shape of Power: Stories of Race and American Sculpture,” alleging that organizers asked him not to record the event or share footage on social media. The symposium, a private event not publicly listed on the Smithsonian’s website, also included curator Hamza Walker, artists Titus Kaphar and Miguel Luciano, and critic Aruna D’Souza. Galanin stated on Instagram that the request effectively censored participants, though a Smithsonian spokesperson denied censorship, citing that not all participants consented to recording. The exhibition was previously singled out by President Donald Trump in an executive order criticizing the Smithsonian for promoting “divisive, race-centered ideology.”

As censorship rises, is there a future for truly political, truth-telling art?

The article examines the growing threat of censorship in the visual arts, focusing on two key incidents. In the US, the Trump administration pressured the Smithsonian Institution to review its holdings for content that contradicts "American exceptionalism," leading artist Amy Sherald to withdraw her entire solo exhibition from the National Portrait Gallery after the museum considered removing her painting *Trans Forming Liberty* (2024), which depicts a transgender person as the Statue of Liberty. Meanwhile, in France, Dutch street artist Judith de Leeuw unveiled a monumental mural in Roubaix showing the Statue of Liberty covering its eyes in shame, protesting global migrant injustice, which went viral online.

Ai Weiwei and the Art of Keeping Your Mouth Shut

Dissident artist Ai Weiwei explores the corrosive nature of state control and self-restraint in his new book, "On Censorship" (2026). Drawing from a lifetime of persecution—including his father’s exile to a labor camp, his own 81-day detention in 2011, and recent digital erasure by Chinese AI—Ai argues that censorship fundamentally strips individuals of their humanity. He highlights how the mechanism of silencing has evolved from overt state violence in the East to a more insidious culture of self-censorship in the West, exemplified by the cancellation of his own 2023 exhibition at Lisson Gallery following comments on the conflict in Gaza.

security threats force londons va to remove prophet muhammad artwork

The Victoria & Albert Museum in London removed an image of an artwork depicting the Prophet Muhammad from its website due to security concerns following the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack. The artwork, a poster made by an Iranian artist around 1990, remains in the museum's collection and is available to scholars by appointment. The decision has drawn criticism from experts who view it as self-censorship that could undermine the study of Islamic art.

Venice Biennale’s Russian Pavilion and Pussy Riot Spar Over Usage of Protest Footage

The Russian Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale has become embroiled in a new controversy after accusing the anti-Putin art collective Pussy Riot of censorship. The pavilion posted on Instagram that Pussy Riot demanded the removal of footage featuring them from a documentary film about the pavilion's project, labeling the request as self-censorship. Pussy Riot responded sarcastically, questioning the pavilion's use of Instagram given Russia's 2022 ban of the platform. The dispute follows earlier protests at the pavilion's opening, led by Pussy Riot and FEMEN, against Russia's participation in the Biennale amid its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

An exhibition in New York City takes on censorship in the art world

Art at a Time Like This, a non-profit organization, has opened the exhibition 'Don’t Look Now' in New York City's Nolita neighborhood (October 10–25), featuring 24 contemporary artists whose work has been censored or blacklisted. Participants include Marilyn Minter, Shepard Fairey, Dread Scott, Danielle SeeWalker, and Yvonne Iten-Scott, whose pieces were removed from shows, rescinded from residencies, or targeted by officials due to political content. The exhibition responds to the Trump administration's crackdown on free speech in the culture sector, including mass layoffs at the NEA and NEH, proposed funding cuts, and canceled shows at institutions like the Smithsonian.

White House Bashes Smithsonian Museums, Exhibitions, as “Woke”

On August 21, the Trump administration published an unsigned article on the White House website attacking several Smithsonian museums and their exhibitions for promoting what it described as "woke" content. The article specifically called out the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Museum of American History, the National Portrait Gallery, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and two planned institutions—the National Museum of the American Latino and the American Women’s History Museum. It cited exhibitions and artworks addressing race, transgender identity, and immigration, including Amy Sherald’s painting *Trans Forming Liberty* (2024), which led the artist to cancel her solo show at the National Portrait Gallery after the museum sought to remove the work to avoid provoking Trump.

Can you mount an art exhibition about race in the age of Trump?

The article reports on the exhibition "The Shape of Power: Stories of Race and American Sculpture" at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC, which challenges visitors to reconsider how American sculpture has reinforced racist social orders. The show features 82 works from 1792 to 2023, including John Rogers’ 1864 sculpture "The Wounded Scout, a Friend in the Swamp," and includes interpretive prompts about race as a human invention and a tool of power. President Donald Trump issued an executive order condemning the exhibition for promoting "divisive narratives," and Vice President JD Vance, who sits on the Smithsonian’s Board of Regents, has been tasked with stopping government funding for exhibits that do not align with a celebratory national agenda. The Smithsonian has begun a review of content across its museums, raising concerns about future candid discussions of race and history.

ART CRITICISM: CLARITY OR MORAL AUTHORITARIANISM?

CRÍTICA DE ARTE: ¿CLARIDAD O AUTORITARISMO MORAL?

The article is a critical essay examining the state of contemporary art production in Mexico, arguing it has become a privatized field designed to please wealthy elites and foreign collectors. It contends that art has shifted from being partly publicly funded to being driven by the market and private initiative, leading to a culture of self-censorship, precarity, and a desperate ambition for visibility and sales.

smithsonian internment unjust self censorship

The Trump administration has intensified pressure on the Smithsonian Institution, setting a deadline for compliance with a review of its content and plans to align with the president's executive order "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History." According to reports in the New York Times and the Guardian, Smithsonian staff are already engaging in self-censorship, including removing the word "unjust" from a proposed exhibition label about the internment of Japanese Americans, fearing it might appear partisan. This comes after Trump called for purging "anti-American ideology" from the institution's 19 museums in 2025.

Europe: China’s censorship of cultural institutions must be challenged - ARTICLE 19

The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London has reportedly removed maps and images from exhibition catalogues on multiple occasions following pressure from its Chinese publisher, C&C Offset Printing. The publisher cited directives from China's General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP), which enforces the Chinese Communist Party's official narratives on sensitive topics like territorial borders.

us holocaust museum canceled programming angering trump

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) has reportedly removed educational content and canceled programming to avoid potential conflict with the Trump administration. Former employees allege that the museum preemptively scrubbed web pages linking Jim Crow laws to Nazi-era policies and rebranded or canceled workshops on the "fragility of democracy" to avoid being labeled as "woke." While the museum claims these decisions were based on funding challenges, internal records show a significant increase in net assets during the same period.

in leaked transcript unt dean cites politics as the reason behind cancelation of show with anti ice art show

University of North Texas (UNT) Dean Karen Hutzel revealed in leaked transcripts that the cancellation of artist Victor “Marka27” Quiñonez’s exhibition was an "institutional directive" driven by political pressure. The show, titled “Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá,” featured art critical of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and was abruptly shut down shortly after opening. Hutzel warned faculty that the university is "vulnerable" to retaliation from Texas state officials who have previously targeted academic programs and funding at other state institutions over ideological disagreements.

Is Museum Wall Text the Next Political Battleground?

The Smithsonian Institution has altered or removed interpretive wall text that accompanies artworks on display, according to a New York Times report. Critics argue these changes amount to self-censorship, suggesting the institution is bowing to political pressure by softening or eliminating contextual language that could be seen as controversial.

Art freedom under fire

The Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) censored an exhibition titled 'Constellation of Complicity: Visualising the Global Machinery of Authoritarian Solidarity' after pressure from the Chinese embassy. The exhibition, which opened on July 24, featured works by exiled artists from Myanmar, Iran, Russia, and Syria exploring authoritarian alliances. Following a visit by Chinese embassy staff, several works were removed, including a multimedia installation by a Tibetan artist, and texts mentioning 'Hong Kong', 'Tibet', and 'Uyghur' were redacted. The curator, Sai, a Myanmar artist in exile, said the interference was not unexpected.

UNT dean said fears of political repercussions led to removal of art exhibit, leaked transcripts show

Leaked transcripts from the University of North Texas (UNT) reveal that Dean Karen Hutzel attributed the abrupt cancellation of artist Victor “Marka27” Quiñonez’s exhibition to fears of political retaliation. The show, titled “Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá,” was shuttered shortly after opening at the CVAD Gallery without an initial public explanation. The transcripts indicate that administrators feared the provocative nature of the work—specifically pieces addressing incarceration and deportation—could lead Texas Republican lawmakers to slash university funding or eliminate programs, following a pattern of ideological clashes at other state institutions.

How the Edam exhibition is giving ‘edam’, or space, to Kerala’s women artists

The article reports on 'Edam', a collateral exhibition of the Kochi Muziris Biennale curated by Aishwarya Suresh and KM Madhusudhanan. Featuring 36 Malayali artists, the show consciously avoids stereotypical depictions of women as confined to home and family. Instead, it highlights deeply personal works by women artists such as Priti Vadakkath, Indu Antony, Nithya AS, and Devika Sundar, whose art reflects their individual struggles and lived experiences. The curators also faced challenges including financial constraints, spousal opposition, and helping recent art graduates gain confidence to articulate their work.

Exclusive: Thai gallery removes China-focused artworks after 'pressure' from Beijing

A Thai gallery has removed artworks focused on China from its exhibition after reportedly facing pressure from Beijing. The pieces, which addressed sensitive political themes, were taken down following diplomatic or official intervention, according to the gallery's statement. The incident highlights ongoing tensions between artistic expression and geopolitical influence in Southeast Asia.

Did the US Holocaust Memorial Museum self-censor to preempt Trump’s wrath?

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) is facing allegations of preemptive self-censorship to avoid conflict with the Trump administration. Former employees report that the institution removed online educational resources linking Jim Crow laws to Nazi ideology, unlisted videos discussing American racism, and renamed or cancelled workshops focused on the "fragility of democracy." While a museum spokesperson denied these claims, internal emails suggest leadership was concerned about how certain terms might be interpreted in the current political climate.