On the occasion of America’s semiquincentennial, several exhibitions have sought to probe the complex relationship between national symbols, history, and cultural memory. These shows explore how symbols like the U.S. flag and natural landmarks such as Niagara Falls function within the American imagination, revealing tensions between reverence, commodification, and political meaning.

One exhibition, titled "American Icon: The U.S. Flag in Art," centers on the multifaceted role of the flag in American visual culture. Featuring works including photography by Robert Frank, whose 1959 book "The Americans" incorporated poignant images of the flag, the show highlights the flag’s symbolic potency as well as its contested status. A passage from the United States Flag Code is prominently displayed, declaring that "the flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing." This characterization underscores the flag's quasi-sacred status in American life, although the exhibition depicts how artists have challenged this official reverence by subverting or altering the flag’s image—practices that can technically contravene the Flag Code. The show thus grapples with the tension between a symbol meant to unify and the diverse interpretations that can render it a site of conflict or critique.

A separate but related exhibition, "Niagara Falls: Mist and Majesty," surveys the iconography surrounding one of America’s most famous natural landmarks. Anchored by Frederic Edwin Church’s 1857 painting "Niagara," widely regarded as a landmark of 19th-century American art and interpreted by some as an allegory for the impending Civil War, the show pairs this historic work with tourist photographs and contemporary Native American art. Mohawk artist Shelley Niro contributes a video installation reflecting on the river’s role as a transnational site of ritual and cultural connection, emphasizing the living, dynamic qualities that contrast with the static, monumental representations often seen in traditional art.

However, the exhibition also sheds light on institutional controversies tied to the legacy of such art objects. Church’s "Niagara" was acquired by the National Gallery of Art in a 2014 arrangement with the financially struggling Corcoran Gallery of Art. That agreement had included a commitment to maintain exhibitions at the historic Corcoran building in Washington, D.C. In 2023, the National Gallery quietly revised the terms, effectively abandoning its promise and limiting public access to a building once central to the city’s artistic life. This development has drawn criticism as emblematic of broader issues concerning institutional accountability and the exercise of power.

Together, these exhibitions not only revisit iconic American images and values but also highlight the persistent challenges of fulfilling promises and sustaining public trust in cultural institutions. The curators present a nuanced view of American symbolism, revealing how ideals of honor and integrity remain aspirational amid ongoing social and political contradictions.