The family of Thomas Kinkade is calling out the Department of Homeland Security for attempting to use the late artist’s work to promote “division and xenophobia.”
The Kinkade Family Foundation sent a cease-and-desist letter to DHS, demanding it remove a social media post featuring Kinkade’s painting “Morning Pledge,” in which an American flag flies above a suburban neighborhood.
In the July 1 social media post, DHS wrote “Protect the Homeland” along with a photo of the painting — without permission of the descendants of the artist, who died in 2012. The foundation told HuffPost on Tuesday that DHS has not responded to the cease-and-desist and wrote on their website that they “strongly condemn” DHS’s messaging.
“Like many of you, we were deeply troubled to see this image used to promote division and xenophobia associated with the ideals of DHS, as this is antithetical to our mission,” the foundation said in a statement. “We stand firmly with our communities who have been threatened and targeted by DHS, especially our immigrant, BIPOC, undocumented, LGBTQ+, and disabled relatives and neighbors.”
Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for DHS, told HuffPost in a statement that the agency is featuring art that “celebrates America’s heritage and history.”
