Julian Raven Artist: Smithsonian Director Kim Sajet Rejects Trump Portrait But Showed Obama Portrait!

MANHATTAN, N.Y. - Dec. 6, 2016 - PRLog -- "It's too BIG!" was the director's first objection! The director followed with another salvo, "The Smithsonian requires ALL portraits be painted from life" to the total shock of Julian Raven, artist and painter of the historic Trump Portrait 'Unafraid And Unashamed'. Raven hit back, "You showed the Obama 'Hope' poster which was not created from a live sitting with Barack Obama!" To which Director Sajet seemed to stamp her foot and insist that it had been created from life, she in fact was now lying! (Later Raven was to discover Director Sajet had misquoted the legal requirement for portrait acceptance by deleting the final part of the statute, "Works must be the best likeness possible; original portraits from life, if possible.") One would expect the director to actually know the 'questionable' story behind the Obama poster by Shepherd Fairey. She insisted, until Raven educated her on the facts, those being how former White House Liaison for the Arts, Yosi Sergant, the leftist political activist and 'brain-child' behind the poster, had commissioned Fairey to create the poster and how it was a digitized image of a photo taken by an AP photographer. Raven had participated in an art show in LA curated by Sergant in which he had shown his Trump portrait alongside one of the 3 copies of the screen printed version of the 'Hope' poster, one of which was shown in the National Portrait Gallery.

By this time Raven was driving the conversation back to the point about her objection to the scale of the painting as being ridiculous, at which Director Sajet began to backtrack and apologize for her nonsensical objection about the scale, to the amazement of the artist! (Remember, the director of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery had called the artist personally to let him know of her objections, and within 5 minutes was apologizing!) She proceeded to rattle off more personal objections to the Trump portrait by now turning to its content.

"It's too pro Trump!" At this point the artist's amazement was surreal! "Too pro Trump?", he shot back, "and the Obama poster was not Pro-Obama?" "Its too political", she said, alluding to the imagery in the painting, the American flag, the Bald Eagle and the depiction of The USA. Those are patriotic symbols. Now the director was objecting to patriotism! This portrait of President Elect Donald J. Trump, was painted in the summer of 2015. It prophetically, symbolically and patriotically depicted Trump as America's future President. Now it was too Patriotic for the NATIONAL Portrait Gallery! Amazingly, according to The Smithsonian, Director Kim Sajet is not even an American Citizen!

Feeling 'dazed and confused' the artist responded with another rebuttal, "So the Obama 'Hope' poster was neither political nor patriotic?" She replied, "It needs to be more neutral!" Yet, she kept mentioning the 'George Washington' portrait in the Smithsonian, that also contradicted her stance! With that, the Director ended her barrage of personal objections and dislikes of the painting. Her final comment, "It's no good, it's a bad painting of Trump!" Director Sajet then told the artist that she was the director, that his application submitted in writing would go no further, get no official written response and that he could appeal her decision all he wanted! If there ever was a portrait of hubris, this was it!

Director Sajet, in hastily rejecting and condemning this historic work of art, has violated the very conditions for acceptance to the National Portrait Gallery established by Congress. The most important point Congress made was this: "Even today, in every instance, the historical significance of the subject is judged before the artistic merit of the portrait, or the prominence of the artist."

Again, demonstrating her personal bias and ignorance of the very basis for accepting a portrait, Director Kim Sajet did not even bother to consider the historical significance of the Trump Portrait. In addition, this was the only recognized pro-Trump portrait to have been part of President Elect Donald J. Trump's historic Presidential campaign!

A copy of Raven's portrait has been hanging in Trump Tower since November 2015. It has been seen across the country in Julian Raven's grassroots campaign, in which Eric Trump also participated. It was part of the 'Art Of Politics' show in LA along with the nation's top political art and artists. An image of the painting was also part of Trump Exec. Lynne Patton's viral video 'The Trump Family I know', which generated millions of views and shares. This video was shown at the RNC in Cleveland, establishing the Trump Portrait to be the only work of art recognized at the Convention. It was also on display at the New York Delegation headquarters in Cleveland and in the Public Square amidst hordes of protesters. The painting was also featured in the Huffington Post's, 'If This Art Could Vote,' election art gallery. It also served as the backdrop to numerous, videos, rallies, websites, Facebook pages etc. It was featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and in media across the globe. The application to the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery is supported by GOP chairpersons, radio host Frank Acomb, art collectors, and elected representatives, such as Congressman Tom Reed, Senator Tom O'Mara and Elmira Mayor Dan Mandell, all who represent over 200,000 upstate New York citizens.

Do you recall Director Sajet's rejection of a 15,000 person petition to remove the objectionable bust of Margaret Sanger by black pastors, led by Bishop E.W. Jackson, Senators Cruz and Gomer amongst many other elected representatives back in August of 2015? What about the recent snubbing of Chief Justice Clarence Thomas by the Smithsonian African American Museum? Now, with this bizarre, biased and incompetent behavior by Director Kim Sajet regarding the Trump Portrait, the conditions for a perfect storm have been created.

The 'swamp' of blatant liberal bias at the Smithsonian must be drained!

Artist Julian Raven became an American Citizen on September 17^th, 2015. He is a grassroots political Trump campaigner. He was elected within his first year of citizenship to become a New York Alternate Delegate to represent New York at the Cleveland RNC. He is a public speaker, entrepreneur and minister. He is married to Gloria Raven. They have three beautiful children and they live in Elmira, New York.

For the full story go to www.thetrumpportrait.com

http://www.unafraid-and-unashamed.com