Smithsonian Museum: A Treasure Trove and a Trash Heap
The Smithsonian Museum contains millions of treasures, but there’s also a significant pile of, well, questionable material.
The White House recently summarized some of the museum’s more outrageous moments in an investigation linked to President Donald Trump’s facilities.
Take, for instance, the controversial infographic defining “white culture.” It highlights values like “hard work,” “independence,” and “politeness.” I’m not sure if those really need to be labeled as distinctly white, but here we are.
The National Museum of African American History and Culture notes aspects of “whiteness” such as individualism and respect for authority.
I suppose I didn’t need to elaborate further on that point.
Speaking of cultural distinctions, I find myself wondering how the values attributed to Latinos with disabilities differ from those so-called white values. An animated program at the Latin National Museum showcases various representations of Latino identities, including some quite surprising ones.
Just to be clear, someone wearing over-the-top attire shouldn’t really be judged solely by that appearance.
In another exhibit, a striking **painting** hangs at the National Portrait Gallery, featuring a family crossing the U.S. border. The mother and child are blonde, while the father appears Latino, and the older son has a vague Asian look. It’s, um, quite an interesting depiction.
Three cheers for multicultural representations, right?
If you’re curious about what “immersive, feminist, sacred aquatopia” looks like, the National Museum of African Art opens an exhibit that claims to represent powerful underwater worlds filled with African spirits. The display even describes this underwater kingdom as one where pregnant women have been thrown overboard. It makes you think, doesn’t it?
Can you imagine how that pitch meeting went? Something like, “Imagine Atlantis, but with a chilling twist.”
After a failed attempt to change a trance statue through a painting, the Smithsonian Gallery faced controversy.
There’s probably a similar creative process behind the initiative to create a reinterpretation of the Statue of Liberty.
There are plenty more exhibits to call out, but let’s move on a bit.
The National Portrait Gallery has commissioned artist Hugo Crosswaite to create stop-motion animations of Anthony Fauci’s career. Don’t hold your breath for anything derogatory. This isn’t headed in that direction.
Honestly, I see two main purposes for this kind of “art.” One is perfect for the garbage. The other serves as a reminder of the odd and often unsettling ideologies that shaped American life not too long ago.
