Notes to Editors: The following stories contain references to sexual assault and harassment. To contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline, call 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit Online Website.
Kehinde Wiley’s plaintiffs responded to concerns raised by the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) about museums’ decisions to remove artists’ works following sexual assault allegations. A statement from the plaintiffs Allergic The letter, which is attached in full below, acknowledges the importance of an “impartial and independent investigation” into Wiley’s allegations, while stressing that cultural institutions have a “moral responsibility to foster an environment that respects and supports victims of abuse and misconduct.”
In a June 21 letter, NCAC said it was “appalled” by the decisions of three institutions — the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM), the Minneapolis Institute of Art, and the Joslyn Art Museum — to postpone, cancel, or cancel exhibitions of Wiley’s work. “The allegations against Wiley are serious and concerning, and his position as an artist in no way excuses or mitigates any of these actions,” NCAC wrote. But the anti-censorship group argued that the museums’ plans to cancel exhibitions of his work “establish an implicit practice of censoring the individual conduct of all participating artists and the potential for the ad hoc application of unwritten policies.”
Founded in 1974 by activists affiliated with the American Civil Liberties Union, NCAC’s mission is, among other things, to defend “artists, curators, and museum directors who resist censorship of the arts.”
“As we’ve seen in art history, the creation of famous works of art is not limited to well-behaved, generally beloved artists, sometimes even people with terrible moral behavior are capable of creating moving, inspiring works,” Elizabeth Larison, director of NCAC’s Arts and Culture Outreach Program, told Allergic In an email today (June 27), he added that the museum was “not prepared to launch an investigation into the personal lives of all the artists it works with”.
“Their job is to present famous artworks to the audience, along with the context in which they appear at a particular moment,” Larison wrote.
Ghanaian artist Joseph Awuah-Darko wrote a statement on behalf of Terrell Armistead, Nathaniel Lloyd Richards, Derrick Ingram and other alleged victims, offering a “counterpoint” to the NCAC’s open letter. The statement states that “artistic values, while important, should not override issues of moral injury and human dignity.”
“While we respect NCAC’s commitment to artistic freedom, we urge the organizations and leadership of the Perez Art Museum Miami, the Minneapolis Institute of Art, and the Joslyn Art Museum to continue to make decisions that are in the public interest and uphold their contemporary ethical standards as times change,” the statement read.
Over the past six weeks, Awuah-Darko, Ingram, Lloyd Richards and Armistead publicly accused Wiley of sexual assault and misconduct, alleging that the artist committed everything from inappropriate touching to physical assault and rape.
Wiley has repeatedly denied the allegations, calling them “baseless and defamatory,” and posted screenshots of text messages with some of his accusers on Instagram, showing they remain in touch months and even years after the alleged incidents. AllergicWiley said he was disappointed that “lies created by social media” distracted from the purpose of his traveling exhibition, which aims to shed light on the racial injustices suffered by Black and brown people.
“These allegations are simply false and raise more questions about their credibility and motives than facts to support their truth,” Willey said.
Ingram and Armistead plan to file a class-action lawsuit against the painter, according to statements on social media. In addition, Ava-Darco has launched a petition urging Wiley’s representatives, Galerie Templon and Sean Kelly, to investigate the allegations of sexual violence. The online campaign was launched on June 2 and has collected 1,279 signatures so far.
A spokesperson for Marathon Strategies, the public relations firm representing Willie, said Allergic Past public statements by the artist.
Below is a statement written by Awuah-Darko in response to the NCAC. (Bold text is for emphasis and was chosen by him.)
Victims urge NACC, cultural bodies to push for investigation into claims against Kehinde Wiley
In the spirit of recognizing different perspectives, we would like to thank NCAC for their statement and their ongoing efforts to protect freedom of thought, expression, and inquiry. However, as survivors of sexual assault, we feel compelled to offer a counter-perspective on this matter. Echoing the sentiments outlined in our petition and highlighting the importance of addressing these allegations – all as we actively seek collective healing.
Words matter. How we use them and the context in which they are used matter even more. A petition now signed by more than 1,000 people is calling for an investigation, records show. All sexual assault allegations against artist Kehinde Wiley [the named abuser]The words used are: investigationWhile we fully respect the decisions of the Pérez Museum, the Joslyn Art Museum, and the Minneapolis Institute of Art, we are not calling for a targeted “cancellation,” nor for a “boycott,” nor for Even calls to “remove the monuments.” These words were not part of our message, we have always been focused on seeking real accountability. Our goal was and still is to urge Conduct an impartial, independent investigation into all allegations made by survivors of the Kehinde Wiley attack. The NCAC called the allegation “serious and concerning.”
Furthermore, artistic values, while important, should not override issues of moral injury and human dignity. Rape and sexual abuse are psychologically considered moral injuries to any individual. Institutions do have a moral responsibility to create an environment that respects and supports victims of abuse and misconduct. These include re-evaluating whether and how artists with known abuses are celebrated and illustrated in exhibitions. For victims, the consequences of moral injury are feelings of betrayal, guilt, shame, and damaged self-worth, and victims of abuse still need to live with these feelings.
In a review of the Kehinde Wiley retrospective at the Brooklyn Museum on March 11, 2015, Jessica Dawson wrote:Willy finds weakness in the art world and paints himself as untouchableShe is referring to the unspoken immunity that the award-winning artist has received due to the aura of Black prominence, a kind of affirmative action in art history. We agree with NCAC’s statement that the importance of Wiley’s work lies in the way it “challenges society’s interpretations of racial minorities and questions the legacies of power.” While this may be significant for museum visitors, it should not diminish the seriousness of how these serious claims evoke or contextualize the experiences of the seduced subjects depicted in Wiley’s work, and therefore the autonomy that institutions of power must exercise in deciding whether to exhibit such work. Dawson, in particular, establishes in her work a clear relationship between the artist’s predatory behavior and studio practice.
Public trust in museums and cultural institutions is vital. Ignoring or downplaying serious allegations against artists erodes that trust and reduces the credibility of these institutions. How this matter is handled should demonstrate a commitment to ethical standards and underpin public confidence in the institutions that serve them. One way to further explore this issue is to urge the governing bodies and leadership of the relevant institutions to conduct careful investigations into serious allegations. In addition, NCAC should advocate for the rights of victims to fair and thorough investigations.
While we respect NCAC’s commitment to artistic freedom, we urge the organizations and leadership of the Pérez Art Museum Miami, the Minneapolis Institute of Art, and the Joslyn Art Museum to continue to make decisions that are in the public interest and to uphold their contemporary ethical standards as the times continue to evolve.
This includes recognizing the seriousness of these allegations, prioritizing the well-being of victims, and maintaining the integrity of cultural institutions and the public trust. In summary, the ethical standards to which institutions adhere should reflect current societal values, emphasizing respect, consent, and protecting individuals from harm. This includes adopting clear investigation protocols and key internal policies to decide how to handle allegations and proven misconduct at their discretion. Institutions have the right to have the same freedom in their judgment as the public in their response.
