Kennedy Center Removes "Blue" Sculpture From Campus Grounds

The Kennedy Center is removing the "Blue" sculpture from its campus grounds on Wednesday. Workers began the removal of the 24-foot aluminum sculpture, a vivid blue metal sticklike human figure, before dawn, with a street closure facilitated by a National Park Service public notice.

The artwork, created by artist Joel Shapiro, was installed in 2019 at the Reach expansion overlooking the Potomac River. Shapiro, who died in 2025, described the piece as a celebration of possibility. The Kennedy Center confirmed the deinstallation in a statement, noting that a foundation dedicated to the artist would determine its next location. The center's statement did not provide a reason for the removal but mentioned that deinstallation of donated or lent artworks is common practice for conservation or preservation purposes.

A news release from the sculpture's debut had described it as a permanent fixture for the grounds. Internal documents obtained by The New York Times indicate the sculpture was targeted for elimination after President Trump's takeover of the center. Josef Palermo, who was laid off in March as the curator of visual arts and special programming at the Kennedy Center, stated he was instructed to remove works from the permanent art collection.

Palermo recalled in an interview Tuesday that "Blue" was targeted early on and expressed concern about the lack of an announcement regarding its removal. The removal occurs as the Kennedy Center's Donald Trump-dominated board begins a renovation project. The board has previously sought to rename the center after the president. Hands Off The Arts, an activism collective, reacted to the news, referencing Trump's ill-fated efforts to have his name permanently fixed to the front of the center.