Trump officials take down, explore sale of Kehinde Wiley painting commissioned for US embassy
The monumental painting was recently deinstalled from the US embassy in the Dominican Republic, with ambassador Leah Campos calling it an example of “globalist and woke ideologies”
The Department of State in the United States has removed a painting by Kehinde Wiley that was commissioned for the embassy in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. This decision was recently made public by news outlets, including The New York Times. The painting, titled "Young Artists After Siamesas 1960" (2015), was part of the Art in Embassies program and was funded by taxpayer dollars.
A senior official from the State Department stated that they are currently examining the legality of selling the artwork. The potential sale of the painting is seen as a goal by the Art in Embassies program. While the official did not clarify specific reasons for its removal, they cited allegations of sexual misconduct against Wiley and his controversial comments about historical depictions of Judith beheading Holofernes.
The painting was installed in the Santo Domingo embassy in 2015 and is a significant piece of work, measuring over 12 feet wide and nearly 9 feet tall. It features four contemporary figures posed classically against an ornate floral pattern. Kehinde Wiley gained international recognition in 2018 when he was commissioned to paint the official portrait of former US president Barack Obama for the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC.
The State Department's art program has faced scrutiny and changes since the beginning of the Trump administration. The current director of Art in Embassies, Erin Scavino, has expressed strong opposition to Wiley's work, calling it "woke" and "terrifying".
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