U.S. State Department removes Kehinde Wiley painting from Santo Domingo embassy

The U.S. State Department has removed a commissioned painting by artist Kehinde Wiley from the American Embassy in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The artwork, titled ‘Young Artists After Siamesas 1960,’ was originally commissioned in 2013 to honor Dominican art and was created following a two-year study of Dominican modernist works.

U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic Leah Campos documented the removal on social media, characterizing the move as a rejection of ‘globalist and woke ideologies’ in favor of American patriotism. Erin Scavino, director of Art in Embassies, has also criticized the work.

While some officials have labeled the piece ‘woke’ or ‘aesthetically terrifying,’ a State Department official stated that the department is consulting legal representatives regarding the possibility of selling the painting. The official also cited allegations of sexual misconduct against Wiley and claimed the work contained ‘violent and racist’ depictions, though Wiley has denied the misconduct allegations.