Art Review: National Portrait Gallery’s Weak, Blinkered Curatorial Vision

Greetings from the Swamp! I always enjoy visiting. Excise the ruthless bastards, the useless bastards, the liars, reptiles, and Grooms of the Stool — every day is a race for best brown nose — and, yes, it’s a nice city. I’m working at the Archives of American Art on my Allan Stone biography, but the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery is nearly across the street. The NPG’s triennial, the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition, is on view. It celebrates excellence and innovation in American portraiture. The Outwin started in 2006, and in a few short years it’s become much anticipated.

This is my second piece in an off-and-on series on the Smithsonian, a national pride and joy that needs new leadership, starting with the regents and Lonnie Bunch, the secretary. The vampiric 1619 Project is a creature of the Smithsonian as well as of the New York Times. The Smithsonian has been caught over and over in the act of embracing DEI. Last year, President Trump fired the director of the NPG. Whether or not he actually had the power to can her, she’s gone to direct the Milwaukee Art Museum, bringing her passion for DEI to Brew City. The NPG’s curators, birds of a feather, are still in place.

About the Author

Brian T. Allen

Brian T. Allen is National Review’s art critic.

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Greetings from the Swamp! I always enjoy visiting. Excise the ruthless bastards, the useless bastards, the liars, reptiles, and Grooms of the Stool — every day is a race for best brown nose — and, yes, it’s a nice city. I’m working at the Archives of American Art on my Allan Stone biography, but the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery is nearly across the street. The NPG’s triennial, the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition, is on view. It celebrates excellence and innovation in American portraiture. The Outwin started in 2006, and in a few short years it’s become much anticipated.

This is my second piece in an off-and-on series on the Smithsonian, a national pride and joy that needs new leadership, starting with the regents and Lonnie Bunch, the secretary. The vampiric 1619 Project is a creature of the Smithsonian as well as of the New York Times. The Smithsonian has been caught over and over in the act of embracing DEI. Last year, President Trump fired the director of the NPG. Whether or not he actually had the power to can her, she’s gone to direct the Milwaukee Art Museum, bringing her passion for DEI to Brew City. The NPG’s curators, birds of a feather, are still in place.