David Rubenstein buys Blue sculpture removed from Kennedy Center
By The BriefBrief
David Rubenstein has reportedly purchased Joel Shapiro’s 24-foot-tall stick-figure sculpture Blue after it was dismantled and removed from the Kennedy Center grounds last week. The sculpture is expected to be installed at the Sculpture Garden of the National Gallery of Art, per The New York Times.
WHO:David Rubenstein
WHAT:Purchased Joel Shapiro’s sculpture Blue after it was removed from the Kennedy Center grounds
WHEN:Reported Sep 8, 2026 at 12:06 AM ET
WHERE:Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C., USA
WHY:No specific cause was reported for the sculpture’s removal; the article links it to the Kennedy Center leadership changes involving Trump and Rubenstein.
