\n Called \u201cBlue,\u201d from the artist Joel Shapiro, the statue depicts a stick figure \u201cmid-kick.\u201d It was installed outside the Kennedy Center in 2019<\/a>.\n <\/p>\n \n A Kennedy Center spokesperson said in a statement to CNN that the venue requested the \u201cdeinstallation,\u201d which the person described as \u201ccommon practice.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cWe are deeply grateful to Joel Shapiro for the years Blue has spent animating our campus and connecting visitors to his vision,\u201d the spokesperson said. \u201cWe are honored to have been stewards of his vibrant work and a part of his enduring legacy.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n A former curator for the institution, Josef Palermo, told CNN that in September 2025, he was told to remove all of the outdoor art, including \u201cBlue,\u201d as the president wanted \u201call new art for the reopening.\u201d CNN has reached out to the White House for comment. A person familiar with the matter denied Palermo\u2019s account of the situation.\n <\/p>\n \n Since President Donald Trump returned to the White House last year, he has made several moves to reshape the Kennedy Center, including hand picking the center\u2019s board of trustees and being elected<\/a> its chair. The board later voted to add his name to the building, an effort that faced legal challenges.\n <\/p>\n \n The activist organization \u201cHands Off the Arts\u201d described the sculpture as a \u201cbeloved figure\u201d in an Instagram post<\/a> and called its removal \u201cbuffoonery.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cWednesday, September 2, 2026 will forever be known as the day the United States government tore down a piece of public art at the behest of a petulant crybaby,\u201d the organization said, seemingly referring to Trump. \u201cBut it won\u2019t be the last.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n Earlier this year, Trump announced that the Kennedy Center would close for around two years<\/a> for renovations. It was slated to close on July 4 but a federal judge blocked the renovation plans, ruling that they were made unlawfully.\n <\/p>\n \n But the Trump administration and the Kennedy Center board have continued to push back on legal challenges. Last month, lawyers for the center threatened to demolish<\/a> the building if renovations aren\u2019t allowed. The board has also said it will once again add Trump\u2019s name<\/a> to the building.\n <\/p>\n \n This story has been updated with additional information.\n <\/p>\n ![\"Crews](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2026-09-02t121956z-816867476-rc20bnaps8v8-rtrmadp-3-usa-trump-kennedy-center.jpg\")
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