Amy Sherald’s new exhibition, “American Sublime,” recently opened at the Whitney Museum in New York City and will travel this fall to the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington.
Sherald’s famed portraits — powerful, dignified, and deeply rooted in identity and representation — remind us why the arts are a matter of great significance. They spark dialogue during times when honest conversations about race, identity, and history are most needed.
In a time of shifting alliances and political uncertainty, freedom of artistic expression isn’t just culturally relevant — it’s a vital tool of soft power that can help build trust, foster dialogue, and extend U.S. influence in ways traditional diplomacy cannot.
I know this from experience. When I was appointed U.S. ambassador to Portugal in 2022, I had not risen through the traditional ranks of the Foreign Service but came from a background steeped in the arts. Having served as a commissioner at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, I first met Sherald when she was chosen as a winner of the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition. This marked the beginning of my admiration for her work.
Her portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama, a nuanced portrayal of both strength and grace, became a touchstone in contemporary portraiture, sparking dialogue among art critics, community leaders, and tourists alike. This fall, Sherald’s exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery will mark a full-circle moment — a vivid reminder of how art bridges lives and legacies across time and space.
When it came time to curate my Arts in Embassies exhibit during my tenure in Portugal, I knew Sherald’s work had to be included. A State Department initiative founded under President Kennedy, the Arts in Embassies program places works by American and international artists in U.S. embassies worldwide, using visual arts as a powerful form of diplomacy.
We curated a rotating collection in our residence that reflected our nation’s diversity: Asian, African, Mexican, Jewish, and women artists, to name a few – all represented in a shared space. And, of course, Portuguese artists, highlighting the dialogue between our two countries.
These important, creative works sparked conversation at every gathering — about identity, storytelling, creativity, and freedom. The walls of the Ambassador’s residence became more than décor — they became a living exhibition of the values our nations share, and the essential conversations we must have.
Witnessing the success of this exhibit, we continued using arts and culture as tools to connect communities, open dialogue, and strengthen mutual understanding throughout my ambassadorship. These varied initiatives — targeted in scale but powerful in impact — built bridges across communities that traditional diplomacy is often unable to reach.
When used properly, cultural diplomacy strengthens national security. When I first arrived in Portugal, after COVID and the absence of an ambassador for 16 months, China had taken over the public discourse in the media on issues like freedom of speech, women’s rights, and the rule of law. Part of my strategy for deploying a cultural diplomacy program was to take back the narrative and use the public forum to put forward our American values — to fill that space and prevent bad actors from enhancing their public influence.
Now, upon returning home, the shifting political landscape has underscored the importance of applying these tools in the U.S. As the current administration enacts new policies that shift our transatlantic ties, using the arts as a tool of diplomacy isn’t just symbolic — it’s strategic. Sharing our patchwork of cultures and ideas through creative expression can aid us greatly in building people-to-people ties worldwide.
Policymakers must keep funding cultural diplomacy initiatives. Artists must keep creating. And to the public, go see Sherald’s exhibit at the Whitney. Beyond being a stunning display of an individual’s talent, it’s a reminder of the powerful role art can play in shaping our nation’s future.
Randi Charno Levine is a diplomat, arts advocate, and author who served as the U.S. ambassador to Portugal from April 2022, to January 2025.
