WASHINGTON, Sept 2 (Reuters) – A crane removed the 24-foot (7-meter) sculpture “Blue” from the Kennedy Center grounds on Wednesday in the latest move to redesign Washington’s public spaces under President Donald Trump.
The sculpture, made of rectangular blue aluminum blocks, had sat near where a tarp obscures the center’s facade, as Trump allies continue court battles to try to keep his name on the front of the complex, created by an act of Congress to memorialize slain President John F. Kennedy.
Created by artist Joel Shapiro, “Blue” resembles a soaring stick figure with arms outstretched and one leg kicked up in the air. Since 2019, it was located on a grassy area between the main Kennedy Center building and a separate venue called “The Reach” used for arts education.
The Kennedy Center confirmed in a statement that the statue would be removed and said artwork deinstallations were common practice.
“We are deeply grateful to Joel Shapiro for the years Blue has spent animating our campus and connecting visitors to his vision,” a Kennedy Center spokesperson said.
Trump is pursuing an ambitious remaking of Washington, with plans for projects ranging from a new White House ballroom, which he calls a national security priority, to a 250-foot (76-meter) arch. Administration lawyers argued in a court filing last week that the Kennedy Center could eventually face demolition without major repairs.
Since taking office in 2025, Trump has removed the center’s leadership, changed its programming and appointed a board that has closed the center for renovations. A U.S. district court judge ordered in May that Trump’s name be removed from the facade.
The Kennedy Center board, controlled by Trump appointees, subsequently voted on August 13 to put Trump’s name back on the building, calling it “The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump.” This move has set up a potential clash with the judge.
(Reporting by Katharine Jackson and Bo Erickson; Editing by Scott Malone and Rod Nickel)
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