Nicholas Galanin, a multidisciplinary artist and member of the Sitka Tribe of Alaska, withdrew from a symposium hosted by the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM), citing government censorship. The symposium accompanies the exhibition *The Shape of Power: Stories of Race and American Sculpture*, which President Donald Trump labeled as “divisive” and “race-centred” in a March 27 executive order. Galanin alleged that the event was made private with a curated guest list and that he was asked not to record or share it on social media. SAAM denied the censorship claims, stating the event was never publicly listed and that participants were encouraged to share with their networks. Galanin’s 2016 work *The Imaginary Indian (Totem Pole)* is featured in the exhibition.
This incident matters because it highlights ongoing tensions between artistic freedom and government oversight in U.S. cultural institutions. Trump’s executive order targeting specific exhibitions at Smithsonian museums signals a broader political effort to control narratives around race and history. Galanin’s protest underscores how Indigenous artists and others may face pressure to self-censor or withdraw from federally funded platforms, raising questions about the role of museums in politically charged environments. The controversy also reflects a growing divide between institutional policies and artists’ rights to speak freely about systemic issues.