RECASTING THE PAST.

The Smithsonian American Art Museum's exhibition, "The Shape of Power: Stories of Race and American Sculpture," delves into how American sculpture has influenced perceptions of race from the 19th century to the present. The exhibition challenges the traditional view of American sculpture as heroic white-marble figures and showcases 82 sculptures created between 1792 and 2023 in various media. Through sculptures like Hiram Powers' "The Greek Slave" and John Rogers' "The Wounded Scout," the exhibition explores how race has been visually represented and constructed in American art. The exhibition aims to foster open and deep conversations about the historical and contemporary role of sculpture in shaping ideas of race in the United States. [Extracted from the article]