Wayne Clough has defended his decision to remove A Fire in My Belly from Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture, a major show on sexual identity in portraits at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery. Speaking for the Smithsonian, he said: "We are not here to cause controversy. We are here help people understand these issues that are important to our growth as a society."
Clough has decided to hold a public forum in April to discuss all the issues that have been raised. "I know we have to continue a dialogue," he sad. "Some of the issues to be discussed are the difference between publicly funded and private museums, their approaches to exhibitions and the role of the Smithsonian as a national leader."
Image: National Portrait Gallery
