The Shape of Power: Stories of Race and American Sculpture

Smithsonian American Art Museum

03/01/2025 - 10/14/2025

Open Daily, 11:30 a.m.–7:00 p.m

Free Admission


Examines the role of sculpture in understanding and constructing the concept of race in the United States. The exhibition brings together 82 sculptures created between 1792 and 2023 and ranging in size from palm-sized coins to monumental statues created from diverse media such as bronze, marble, shoes, paper, and hair. Made by 70 different artists, these sculptures are displayed to allow for juxtapositions of historical and contemporary works that invite dialogue and reflection on notions of power and identity.