The Saint Louis Art Museum will present 'Picturing Independence,' an exhibition opening June 12 and running through January 24, 2027, in the Schoenberg Gallery. Curated by Amy Torbert, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Associate Curator of American Art, the show features around 30 objects from the museum's collection that explore how artists have interpreted American independence over 250 years, from the colonial era to contemporary works. Highlights include a Houdon bust of Benjamin Franklin, a portrait of George Washington by Rembrandt Peale, a silver tankard by Paul Revere, and a never-before-displayed weaving by a St. Louis artist, alongside prints from the Kent Bicentennial Portfolio.
This exhibition matters because it invites visitors to reflect on the complex and evolving nature of democracy and freedom as the United States approaches its 250th birthday. By juxtaposing historical and contemporary artworks, 'Picturing Independence' encourages critical conversations about both the successes and failures of the American experiment, using visual symbols to examine who has been included in—and excluded from—the nation's ideals of independence.