Artist Amy Sherald Named to Time's 2026 Women of the Year List

The magazine lauded Sherald for standing up to censorship of her blockbuster museum show.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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Artist Amy Sherald has been named one of 16 honorees in Time magazine's 2026 Women of the Year list, which celebrates women leaders whose work is making the world more equitable. Sherald is best known for her official portrait of former First Lady Michelle Obama and was recognized for taking a stand against potential censorship of her exhibition "American Sublime" at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.

Why it matters

Sherald's inclusion on the prestigious Time list highlights her role as a prominent artist using her platform to advocate for social and artistic freedom. Her decision to pull the exhibition from the National Portrait Gallery after the museum considered replacing her painting featuring a Black transgender woman with a video including anti-trans views demonstrates her commitment to her artistic vision and values.

The details

Last year, Sherald's blockbuster museum show "American Sublime" faced potential censorship at the National Portrait Gallery following President Donald Trump's efforts to weed out so-called 'woke' exhibitions and programming across the Smithsonian Institution. At issue was her monumental painting "Trans Forming Liberty" (2024), featuring a Black transgender woman in a pose inspired by the Statue of Liberty. Sherald claimed the museum, bowing to anti-trans views in the White House, wanted to replace the work with a video of people talking about trans issues. Sherald pulled the show, stating "There are just some things that I'm not willing to compromise on." The Baltimore Museum of Art then stepped up to host the exhibition, which has set a new attendance record for the institution.

  • The "American Sublime" exhibition debuted at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in 2024 before heading to New York's Whitney Museum of American Art.
  • The exhibition is currently on view at the Baltimore Museum of Art from November 2, 2025 to April 5, 2026.
  • The exhibition will have its final stop at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta from May 15 to September 27, 2026.

The players

Amy Sherald

A renowned American artist best known for her official portrait of former First Lady Michelle Obama. Sherald was named one of Time magazine's 2026 Women of the Year for standing up to censorship of her exhibition "American Sublime".

National Portrait Gallery

A museum in Washington, D.C. that considered replacing Sherald's painting "Trans Forming Liberty" with a video that would have included anti-trans views, leading Sherald to pull the exhibition.

Baltimore Museum of Art

The artist's hometown institution that stepped up to host the third leg of the "American Sublime" exhibition, which has set a new attendance record for the museum.

Donald Trump

The former U.S. president who included Sherald's painting "Trans Forming Liberty" on a list of things at the Smithsonian he found offensive, leading to the potential censorship of the exhibition.

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What they’re saying

“There are just some things that I'm not willing to compromise on.”

— Amy Sherald (Time)

“Amy's paintings imagine an everyday life centering Blackness and honor the dignity of Black communities, and witnessing such a broad swath of humanity embrace her vision is extraordinary.”

— Asma Naeem, Director, Baltimore Museum of Art (Baltimore Fishbowl)

What’s next

The "American Sublime" exhibition will have its final stop at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta from May 15 to September 27, 2026.

The takeaway

Sherald's inclusion on Time's 2026 Women of the Year list and her decision to stand up to potential censorship of her artwork demonstrate the power of artists to use their platforms to advocate for social justice and artistic freedom, even in the face of political pressure.