298- Art Battles the Smithsonian & more... featuring Julian Raven
- Author
- Elias Marty
- Published
- Sat 30 Aug 2025
- Episode Link
- None
Julian Raven shares his extraordinary journey from British-born artist to American legal activist, fighting an eight-year battle against the Smithsonian Institution after his Trump portrait was rejected for exhibition. Through persistence and legal research, he uncovered the true nature of the Smithsonian as a private charitable trust rather than a federal agency, exposing institutional bias and constitutional questions about who controls America's cultural institutions.
• British-born, Spanish-raised artist who came to America as a missionary before finding his calling as a painter
• Created a prophetic 7x15 foot portrait of Trump in 2015 when most dismissed his presidential chances
• Traveled across America with his painting, eventually becoming an alternate New York delegate at the RNC
• Faced blatant partisan rejection from Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery director Kim Sayet
• Discovered the Smithsonian is legally a private charitable trust, not a federal agency
• Self-filed multiple lawsuits and Supreme Court petitions without legal representation
• Documented the Smithsonian director's anti-Trump activism while in official position
• Recent developments with Trump attempting to fire Sayet reveal the constitutional questions at stake
• Case now involves potential action from DC Attorney General to defend the Smithsonian Trust
• Encourages Americans to get involved in civic action rather than just complaining about problems
Julian's book "Odious and Cerberus: An American Immigrant's Odyssey and His Free Speech Legal War Against Smithsonian Corruption" details his journey and legal battle. Learn more at smithsoninstitution.com and see Julian's artwork at julianraven.com.
Follow Julian at ...
https://smithsoninstitution.com/
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