Trump-Backed “Passport to Patriotism” Exhibition Opens in Washington

The exhibition shows blown-up AI-generated images of George Washington, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison by artist Brandon Ralph, alongside works by Henri Reed, Fer Da Silva, Barbara Ernst Prey, Romero Britto and Kevin Champeny.

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Critics say the show aligns with President Donald Trump’s cultural agenda. Museum leaders canceled two shows last year after deeming their focus on international Black and queer artists incompatible with an executive order restricting diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. The State Department presents the exhibit as a diplomatic initiative marking the bicentennial of U.S. foreign relations, though its title—“Passport to Patriotism”—has been called a post-hoc justification for the funding.

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• Brandon Ralph – artist behind the AI portraits, calling them the “first-ever photographic portraits” of the founders.

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• Erin Scavino – Art in Embassies Director and spouse of the president’s deputy chief of staff; identified as a primary organizer.

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• Fer Da Silva – artist whose turquoise-and-gold heart painting was highlighted for its commercial intent.

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• Barbara Ernst Prey – creator of flag-centric watercolors titled *Gallantly Streaming* and *God and Country*.

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• The show includes “five dozen” flag-related works, many in red, white and blue.

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• AI portraits are displayed in large format, emphasizing facial detail.

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The State Department frames the exhibit as part of a diplomatic cultural program. Materials list each work’s title, artist, medium and a QR code linking to a brief biography, but offer no curatorial commentary. Anonymous sources say no historian or professional curator was involved, a fact reflected in labeling errors and misplaced QR codes.

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Cultural commentator Christina Cauterucci calls the exhibition a “shallow vision of U.S. identity” that serves “Trump’s war on the arts,” citing “underqualified nepotism hires” linked to Scavino’s connections.

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The show demonstrates how federal cultural sponsorship can be used to promote a narrowly defined patriotic narrative, raising concerns about the independence of public art institutions. Critics warn that reliance on political allies for artist selection and the lack of scholarly curatorial input could set a precedent for future exhibitions that prioritize ideology over artistic diversity.

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• “Have you ever wanted to see John Adams’ facial pores? Examine the precise hairline of Alexander Hamilton’s unibrow? Admire the sheen of James Madison’s pillowy lips? Then you’ll love a series of portraits by Brandon Ralph currently on view in Washington,” — Cauterucci.

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• “I suppose one could take away something profound from the sight of George Washington’s stubble as imagined by a computer program. … But Passport to Patriotism does not encourage such searching interpretations,” — Christina Cauterucci.

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