Kennedy Center disassembles ‘Blue’ sculpture from its grounds

Notably, the Kennedy Center took down a sculpture known as "Blue" Wednesday, the latest change to the cultural and performing arts center that stirred some pushback in President Donald Trump's second term.

What happened

For context, the sculpture, a tall, blue stick figure poised in action – as if to kick a ball or, from a different angle, having just kicked one – was designed by sculptor Joel Shapiro and installed in 2019.

Notably, the removal follows a longer-running saga with the Kennedy Center, where the Trump-aligned board is fighting in court for the right to plaster the president's name on the historic institution. It falls within a broader effort to reshape Washington to Trump's liking, including demolishing the White House's East Wing to build a ballroom, a proposed triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery and a renovated golf course.

Shapiro, known for breathing life into otherwise minimalist stick figures, described "Blue" in a video posted to the Kennedy Center's YouTube years ago as being "regarding action and risk and performance and energy. It's a celebration of possibility."

The bottom line

In short, kennedy Center disassembles Blue sculpture from its grounds is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.