Trump criticises Smithsonian over Drexciya-inspired Afrofuturism exhibition

An exhibition at The Smithsonian inspired by electronic duo Drexciya has been criticised by US President Donald Trump due to claims that it serves as "anti-American propaganda". 

From the Deep: In the Wake of Drexciya, which concluded in January 2025, is one of several exhibitions referenced in a new statement from the White House entitled: President Trump is Right about The Smithsonian.

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Produced by photographer Ayana V. Jackson, the exhibition explored the legendary Detroit techno duo's imagined Afrofuturist utopia, "populated by descendants of pregnant African women thrown (or who jumped) overboard into the Atlantic Ocean during the Middle Passage."

Hosted by The Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, Ayana V. Jackson's work within the exhibition spanned "animation, immersive video, installation, sound, and scent".

The White House's statement also criticises The Smithsonian's decision to fly a "transgender and intersex flag", alongside exhibitions on LGBTQIA+ inclusion in skateboarding, Latinos and Latinas with disabilities, and transgender athletes.

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The imagined utopia was a key theme within the world of Drexciya, a project by Gerald Donald and James Stinson, since the release of their debut 'Deep Sea Dweller' in 1992. Gerald Donald has continued to explore the concept after Stinson's death in 1992.

You can read more about the history of Drexciya, here.

Megan Townsend is Mixmag's Deputy Editor, follow her on Twitter