Artist Joseph Awuah-Darko accuses Obama portrait painter Kehinde Wiley of sexual assault
Joseph Awuah-Darko is accusing fellow visual artist Kehinde Wiley of sexual assault.
In a harrowing Instagram post Sunday, the Ghanaian artist alleged Wiley assaulted him twice in June 2021.
"I was sexually assaulted by @kehindewiley. It almost destroyed me," Awuah-Darko wrote. "I hope my words and openness about my painful experience empower others to come forward. I hope all that unravels creates a path towards not only accountability, but recompense and collective healing for other victims."
Wiley seemingly responded to Awuah-Darko's allegations in his own Instagram post Sunday.
"Someone I had a brief, consensual relationship with almost three years ago is now making a false accusation about our time together," Wiley wrote. "I kindly ask for privacy as I work to clear my name."
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USA TODAY has reached out to representatives for Awuah-Darko and Wiley for comment.
Wiley is a New York painter who became a star in the art world for his images of everyday people — people of color from Harlem, Haiti, France and beyond — done up in the style of grand European portraits once reserved for kings, queens and assorted nobles. He's also painted portraits of celebrities, including Spike Lee, Carmelo Anthony and former President Barack Obama.
Joseph Awuah-Darko details pair of Kehinde Wiley sexual assaults
In his Instagram post, Awuah-Darko claimed he first met Wiley during a dinner held in Wiley's honor at the Noldor Artist Residency, which he founded in 2020.
While ushering Wiley and another dinner guest to the bathroom, Awuah-Darko was allegedly groped by Wiley when the painter grabbed his buttocks and said "something along the lines of 'what is this thing?' " Awuah-Darko said he subsequently "placated the situation with awkward humor."
"The act was categorically unwelcomed and unprovoked – Wiley had barely known me for more than two hours by this point, and I was wearing a modest dark green kaftan," Awuah-Darko wrote. "I was stunned and concerned for two reasons: [A] this unsolicited act had occurred in Ghana at my place of work, and [B] it was done by a critically celebrated artist who knew the power he wielded and seemed clearly prepared to abuse it."
Awuah-Darko said Wiley assaulted him a second time, though he does not specify the circumstances surrounding the assault other than describing it as "more severe and violent." He also alleged that Wiley has a "pattern of predatory behavior" that has been "treated as an open secret within the art world for quite some time."
Addressing Wiley directly, Awuah-Darko concluded: "I thoroughly invite you to leverage your supposed credibility, your influence, your loyalists and everything you have to gag those of us who come forward. Because I assure you, you will need it."
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Kehinde Wiley seemingly denies Joseph Awuah-Darko's sexual assault allegations
Wiley appeared to denounce Awuah-Darko's allegations against him in his Instagram post.
"These claims are not true and are an affront to all victims of sexual abuse," Wiley wrote. "I have no idea why he has decided to target me in this way – particularly when there is a litany of evidence showing his claims are false."
He concluded: "I hope he gets the help he needs for whatever he is going through."
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support to survivors and their loved ones in English and Spanish at: 800.656.HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org and en Espa?ol RAINN.org/es.
Contributing: Kerry Lengel, The Arizona Republic
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kehinde Wiley allegations: Joseph Awuah-Darko alleges sexual assault