A photograph, taken through the window of Air Force One, has placed one of America's most storied cultural institutions at the center of political uncertainty. President Trump was seen this week reviewing materials bearing the words 'Kennedy Center DEMOLISHED,' an image that circulated widely before any official explanation was offered. The Kennedy Center, a modernist monument to the performing arts on the banks of the Potomac, has stood since 1971 as a symbol of the nation's commitment to culture — and the ambiguity surrounding this moment invites the perennial question of where intention end