The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will remove a major outdoor sculpture from its grounds on Wednesday. The towering, vivid blue metal sculpture of a stick-like human figure, called "Blue," was installed in 2019 and targeted for elimination after President Trump's takeover of the center, according to internal documents obtained by The New York Times.

The Kennedy Center confirmed the sculpture was being deinstalled and that a foundation dedicated to the artist would determine its next location. "We are deeply grateful to Joel Shapiro for the years 'Blue' has spent animating our campus," the center said. Mr. Shapiro died in 2025. Josef Palermo, who was laid off in March as curator of visual arts, said "Blue" had been "targeted early on" and criticized the lack of transparency.

The sculpture sits on the grounds of the Reach, an addition that opened in 2019 largely funded by philanthropist David Rubenstein, whom Mr. Trump replaced as chairman. Mr. Trump has been critical of the $250 million project, the only addition to the Kennedy Center since 1971. Local activists from Hands Off the Arts posted on Instagram, "First they came for the facade and now they come for the grounds."