Former Kennedy Center chair buys dismantled Blue statue

David Rubenstein, who formerly served as the long-time chair of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, has acquired the sculpture known as “Blue” after it was dismantled and taken off the center’s grounds last week. The purchase was reported following the removal of the artwork.

Rubenstein was removed from his position on the Kennedy Center board by President Trump last year. The source notes that he and many of his fellow long-serving board members were replaced by individuals appointed by the president.

The sculpture’s removal and Rubenstein’s subsequent purchase are directly linked by timing: the work was taken down from the center’s property, and Rubenstein bought it thereafter. The reporting does not provide additional details on the purchase price, the exact dimensions beyond prior descriptions, or Rubenstein’s intended plans for the piece.

No further information about the transaction, including when or where the sculpture will be displayed following the sale, was provided in the account. The acquisition comes against the backdrop of recent leadership changes at the Kennedy Center and the replacement of long-standing board members with appointees aligned with President Trump.