British-born, Ghana-based artist Joseph Awuah-Darko accused star artist Kehinde Wiley of sexual assault in an Instagram publish revealed Sunday and stated that he’s in search of “authorized motion.” On his personal Instagram, Wiley denied the allegations.
Within the publish, Awuah-Darko claimed that, on June 9, 2021, Wiley sexually assaulted him twice throughout a dinner held in his honor by Ghana’s Inventive Artwork Council on the Noldor Artist Residency.
“On ninth June 2021 – I used to be sexually assaulted by @kehindewiley. It nearly destroyed me,” Awuah-Darko wrote. “I hope my phrases and opennness about my painful expertise empower others to come back ahead. I hope all that unravels creates a path in direction of not solely accountability however recompense and collective therapeutic for different victims.”
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Within the publish, Awuah-Darko claimed that Wiley “inappropriately groped” him first, grabbing his buttocks. He then alluded to a “way more extreme and violent” assault later within the night time, although he didn’t present particulars for that alleged incident. Awuah-Darko as an alternative famous that he had problem confronting the alleged assault as a result of Wiley’s standing as a homosexual man and due to prevalent anti-LGBTQIA+ sentiment in Ghana.
“I’m actively in search of authorized motion and hope that talking about my abuse will empower different victims to do the identical,” Awuah-Darko informed ARTnews in a direct message on Instagram Sunday.
Not lengthy after Awuah-Darko’s publish went dwell, Wiley responded with a publish of his personal calling the connection “consensual.” In an extended emailed assertion to ARTnews, Wiley stated the claims had been “deeply hurtful” and that he would “pursue all authorized choices to convey the reality to mild.”
“Somebody I had a quick, consensual relationship with is now making false, disturbing, and defamatory accusations about our time collectively,” Wiley stated. “These claims are deeply hurtful to me, and I’ll pursue all authorized choices to convey the reality to mild and clear my title. These claims are additionally a slap within the face for all victims of sexual abuse. I don’t know why this particular person has determined to focus on me this manner, significantly since he has been making an attempt to be a part of my life ever since we met – flying to Nigeria to attend my birthday celebration, trying to go to my dwelling in upstate in New York, sending me heat and cordial textual content messages, and nearly a year-ago to the day attending my exhibition on the de Younger Museum in San Francisco and posting to Instagram that the present by his ‘expensive good friend’ was ‘breathtaking.’ He has posted extensively on Instagram about his struggles with psychological sickness and I hope he will get assist with no matter he’s going by. I’ll vigorously defend my title and fame.”
On Sunday afternoon, Awuah-Darko responded to Wiley’s assertion in a direct message to ARTnews, asserting the artist’s characterization of their relationship was not contradictory to claims of sexual assault.
“Reconciling with the painful actuality of Kehinde’s assault in opposition to me was one thing that I solely accepted in late October 2023, after I confided in certainly one of my greatest buddies, who’s a gallerist. That’s how latest my acceptance of my assault was and after years of remedy over time,” Awuah-Darko wrote. “My relationship with Kehinde in months and moments previous to my epiphany of the abuse I skilled below his hand, would have been pleasant and even cordial; whether or not it was the birthday celebration he invited me to or discussions about the potential of assembly. Very similar to his OTHER VICTIMS. I believe it is very important continuously problem the misunderstanding {that a} sexual predator is a whole stranger. There may be proof to indicate that just about over 90% of sexual abuse circumstances reported are these the place victims know the predator intimately or as household or a good friend. I’m of sound thoughts and stand by the integrity of assertion at the moment.” (RAINN, a nonprofit centered on preventing sexual assault, has estimated that determine at 80 p.c.)
In March, Awuah-Darko referenced an expertise with sexual assault by “somebody who outranks me” in a publish on Instagram, although he didn’t title Wiley on the time. Within the publish, Awuah-Darko requested for contributions for “projected authorized charges,” with a goal of $200,000.
The Noldor Artist Residency’s Instagram web page features a publish from June 9, 2021 noting the dinner referenced in Awuah-Darko’s publish.
The residency program, the primary of its sort in Ghana, was based by Awuah-Darko in November 2020 to offer rising African artists with a devoted studio house and a four-week retreat in Accra. The residency has since advanced right into a museum, the Institute Museum of Ghana.
Awuah-Darko is an artist, musician, and curator, in addition to a collector of latest African and diaspora artwork, a lot of which he has donated to the Institute Museum to jumpstart its assortment. He has proven work with Gallery 1957 and curated a non-selling exhibition final 12 months in partnership with Sotheby’s and the Olym Assortment in Tel Aviv, Israel.
The Awuah-Darkos are one of many wealthiest households in Ghana, in response to GhanaWeb, with a reputed web value of $650 million.
Wiley, who was born in Los Angeles and is now based mostly in New York, is well-known for his portraits of Black women and men finished within the type of Outdated Masters work. He famously painted the official portrait of Barack Obama, and has acquired many institutional surveys.
Sean Kelly and Roberts Initiatives, who each characterize Wiley, didn’t reply to a request for remark. Black Rock Senegal, the group that he based, declined to remark.
Replace, 5/19/24, 1:55 p.m.: This text has been up to date to incorporate an extended assertion from Awuah-Darko responding to Wiley’s feedback.
Replace, 5/19/2024, 1 p.m.: This text has been up to date with an extended assertion by Wiley offered on to ARTnews.