Artist Mika Rottenberg, whose work is included in an upcoming exhibition 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's decision to cancel a Smithsonian show as "amazing," while British artist Richard Long also expressed concern about the administration "strangling everything" at the institution. The article notes that many other artists with upcoming Smithsonian shows—including Nick Cave, Paul Chan, Olafur Eliasson, Spencer Finch, and Rashid Johnson—declined to speak to Vanity Fair, reflecting a cautious environment. Paul Chan denied to ARTnews that he was contacted. Dread Scott, who has been vocal, called for driving the regime from power and urged art institutions to support dissenting artists.
This matters because it highlights a growing tension between the Trump administration and major cultural institutions like the Smithsonian, with artists caught in the middle. The reluctance of many prominent artists to speak publicly suggests a climate of fear or self-censorship in the art world during Trump's second term, which could have a chilling effect on artistic freedom and institutional independence. The article underscores how political pressure is reshaping the relationship between artists, museums, and the government.