Kennedy Center sculpture removal draws condemnation

The Kennedy Center began removing Joel Shapiro’s outdoor sculpture “Blue” on Wednesday, setting off criticism on X and adding to a running dispute over changes made since President Donald Trump took control of the institution. The National Park Service said the closure of northbound lanes on Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway was requested by the Kennedy Center so a crane could remove the work. The Kennedy Center has not publicly explained why the sculpture is being taken down, according to local reports and the center’s own public-facing materials. “Blue,” a 24-foot painted aluminum work installed in 2019 at the REACH expansion, remained listed on the Kennedy Center website as of Wednesday. ### Which sculpture is being removed? Joel Shapiro’s “Blue” is a 24-foot painted aluminum sculpture that the Kennedy Center says was a gift of the artist and part of the REACH campus that opened in 2019. The center’s art page describes the work as “poised in mid-kick” on the Upper Lawn, and a 2019 Kennedy Center press release listed it among the permanent sculptures presented when the REACH opened to the public on September 7, 2019. (home.nps.gov) The Kennedy Center’s own video page for the work was still available this week. On that page, the institution said the sculpture turned the surrounding landscape “into a giant stage,” language that underscored how prominently the work had been incorporated into the campus presentation. (kennedy-center.org) ### What exactly happened on September 2? The National Park Service published a notice saying it would temporarily close the northbound lane of Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway NW from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on September 2, 2026. The agency said the restrictions were requested by the Kennedy Center “for the removal of a Statue on The Kennedy Center grounds” and that a crane would occupy the roadway during the operation. (kennedy-center.org) WUSA9 reported late Tuesday that the center had announced the sculpture would be removed, and Fox 5 DC reported Wednesday morning that the piece was set to come down that day. Both outlets said the Kennedy Center had not given a public reason for the move. (home.nps.gov) ### Why are people connecting this to Trump’s takeover of the center? The New York Times reported on September 1 that the artwork had been targeted for elimination after Trump’s takeover of the center last year. Local coverage on Wednesday also tied the removal to broader changes under Trump’s leadership at the performing arts complex. (wusa9.com) USA Today reported on September 2 that the removal was the latest change at the venue since Trump took over in February 2025. The paper said the center had been mired in controversy during that period. ### What are critics saying? X users circulated posts on September 1 and September 2 condemning the removal and asking the Kennedy Center to restore the work or explain the decision. (nytimes.com) One post highlighted community reaction and asked for public statements from the center, reflecting how the dispute spread beyond arts coverage into broader political commentary. (usatoday.com) WUSA9 said Hands Off The Arts, a group that has protested Trump administration changes at the Kennedy Center, called the move “buffoonery” on Instagram. Fox 5 DC also reported that some residents were upset not only about the sculpture’s removal but about earlier landscaping changes on the grounds. (wusa9.com) ### Has the Kennedy Center said what comes next? The Kennedy Center’s public website still promoted the REACH campus and continued to list “Blue” among the artworks on the grounds on Wednesday. The institution’s main site also continued to advertise campus tours and public access to the REACH. The next concrete milestone is the end of the National Park Service closure window at 1 p.m. on September 2, though the agency said the timing could change. (wusa9.com) Any fuller accounting of the decision is likely to depend on a public statement from the Kennedy Center or additional filings or notices tied to the removal. (home.nps.gov) (kennedy-center.org)