Artist Julian Raven Resubmits His Historic Trump Portrait to the Smithsonian Institution: A Return Eight Years in the Making

WASHINGTON - Dec. 10, 2024 - PRLog -- In a dramatic and historic move, artist Julian Raven has resubmitted his iconic portrait of Donald J. Trump, Unafraid and Unashamed, to the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. This resubmission comes eight years after the painting was first rejected in December 2016 by Kim Sajet, director of the National Portrait Gallery, a rejection that sparked Raven's ongoing legal battles for free speech and artistic recognition.

Amid his current lawsuit, 22-CV-2809, against Sajet for blocking him on Twitter, now 'X', and his prior litigation challenging the Smithsonian's original rejection of his portrait, Raven's return to the Institution he legally opposed marks a momentous chapter in a story that is sure to captivate the art world and legal communities alike.

An Unprecedented Journey of Art, Justice, and History

Unafraid and Unashamed, a monumental 7x15-foot portrait of Donald Trump, was created in the summer of 2015 at the height of Trump's rise as a political outsider. The painting symbolized Trump's defiance, resilience, and the transformative cultural forces that defined his campaign and presidency. Despite the National Portrait Gallery's dismissal of the work in 2016, Raven's masterpiece gained international attention, featured in exhibitions, media outlets, and political events, including CPAC 2019 (https://time.com/longform/cpac-2019-conservatives/).

The journey of this portrait has been documented in Raven's book, Odious and Cerberus: An American Immigrant's Odyssey and His Free Speech Legal War Against Smithsonian Corruption (https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/john-aidan-byrne0/episodes/JULIAN-RAVENS-ACCLAIMED-TRUMP-INSPIRED-ART-REJECTED-BY-SMITHSONIAN-Artist-goes-to-court--launches-campaign-against-Smithsonian-corruption-e1ls3tb/a-a8altln). The book chronicles Raven's relentless battle for artistic freedom and transparency, as well as the legal ambiguities surrounding the Smithsonian Institution's governance as a federally funded entity acting under the guise of a private trust.

A Historic Resubmission

Raven's decision to resubmit his Trump portrait to the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery is both defiant and symbolic. The painting now stands not only as a tribute to Donald J. Trump's place in American history but also as a testament to the enduring power of free speech and the role of art in shaping public discourse.

This latest chapter unfolds as the Smithsonian's Board of Regents, chaired by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, continues to oversee the Institution. Raven's return to the Smithsonian—a symbol of American history and culture—forces a reckoning with his eight-year journey, which has left an indelible mark on both the art world and the legal landscape.

As Raven's resubmission of Unafraid and Unashamed reenters the Smithsonian's halls, it carries with it not just the story of one artist's struggle, but the weight of history itself, daring the Institution to fulfill its mission of preserving the full spectrum of American narratives.