Artist Kehinde Wiley speaks during the unveiling of her sculpture “Rumors of War” at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts on December 10, 2019. (Photo by Zach Gibson\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nNotes to Editors:<\/strong> 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 <\/em>Online Website<\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\nKehinde Wiley\u2019s plaintiffs responded to concerns raised by the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) about museums\u2019 decisions to remove artists\u2019 works following sexual assault allegations. A statement from the plaintiffs Allergic <\/em>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.”<\/p>\nIn a June 21 letter, NCAC said it was \u201cappalled\u201d by the decisions of three institutions \u2014 the P\u00e9rez Art Museum Miami (PAMM), the Minneapolis Institute of Art, and the Joslyn Art Museum \u2014 to postpone, cancel, or cancel exhibitions of Wiley\u2019s work. \u201cThe allegations against Wiley are serious and concerning, and his position as an artist in no way excuses or mitigates any of these actions,\u201d NCAC wrote. But the anti-censorship group argued that the museums\u2019 plans to cancel exhibitions of his work \u201cestablish an implicit practice of censoring the individual conduct of all participating artists and the potential for the ad hoc application of unwritten policies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/aside>\nFounded 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.”<\/p>\n
\u201cAs we\u2019ve 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,\u201d Elizabeth Larison, director of NCAC\u2019s Arts and Culture Outreach Program, told Allergic<\/em> In an email today (June 27), he added that the museum was \u201cnot prepared to launch an investigation into the personal lives of all the artists it works with\u201d.<\/p>\n\u201cTheir job is to present famous artworks to the audience, along with the context in which they appear at a particular moment,\u201d Larison wrote.<\/p>\n
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.”<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/aside>\n\u201cWhile we respect NCAC\u2019s 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,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n
Over the past six weeks, <\/strong>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. <\/p>\nWiley 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. Allergic<\/em>Wiley 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.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/aside>\n“These allegations are simply false and raise more questions about their credibility and motives than facts to support their truth,” Willey said.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for Marathon Strategies, the public relations firm representing Willie, said Allergic<\/em> Past public statements by the artist.<\/p>\nBelow is a statement written by Awuah-Darko in response to the NCAC. (Bold text is for emphasis and was chosen by him.)<\/p>\n
Victims urge NACC, cultural bodies to push for investigation into claims against Kehinde Wiley<\/p>\n
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<\/strong> <\/strong>and highlighting the importance of addressing these allegations \u2013 all as we actively seek collective healing.<\/p>\nWords 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. <\/strong>All sexual assault allegations against artist Kehinde Wiley [the named abuser]The words used are: investigation<\/strong>While we fully respect the decisions of the P\u00e9rez Museum, the Joslyn Art Museum, and the Minneapolis Institute of Art, we are not calling for a targeted \u201ccancellation,\u201d nor for a \u201cboycott,\u201d nor for <\/strong>Even calls to \u201cremove the monuments.\u201d 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<\/strong>. The NCAC called the allegation “serious and concerning.”<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/aside>\nFurthermore, 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. <\/strong>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. <\/p>\nIn 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 untouchable<\/em>She 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\u2019s statement that the importance of Wiley\u2019s work lies in the way it \u201cchallenges society\u2019s interpretations of racial minorities and questions the legacies of power.\u201d 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\u2019s 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\u2019s predatory behavior and studio practice. <\/p>\nPublic 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.<\/strong><\/p>\nWhile we respect NCAC\u2019s commitment to artistic freedom, we urge the organizations and leadership of the P\u00e9rez 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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