Joseph Awua-Darko has accused fellow visual artist Kehinde Wiley of sexual assault.
In a harrowing Instagram post on Sunday, the Ghanaian artiste claimed that Wiley assaulted her twice in June 2021.
“I was sexually assaulted by @kehindewiley. It almost destroyed me,” Aua Darko wrote. “I hope that my words and my candor about my painful experience will give others the strength to come forward. All clarification will not only help fulfill accountability, but also help other victims. We hope to create a path to reparations and collective healing.”
Wiley appeared to respond to Awua-Darko’s claims in a post on his Instagram on Sunday.
“The person with whom I had a brief, consensual relationship almost three years ago is now making false accusations about the time we spent together,” Wiley wrote. “I ask for your privacy so that I can clear my name.”
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USA TODAY has reached out to Awua Darko and Wylie’s representatives for comment.
Wiley was a New York painter who painted everyday people, including people of color from Harlem, Haiti, and France, in the style of the grand European portraits once reserved for kings, queens, and various others. His finished work made him a star in the art world. Aristocracy. He has also painted portraits of celebrities such as Spike Lee, Carmelo Anthony, and former President Barack Obama.
Joseph Awer-Darko details Kehinde Wiley’s sexual assault
In a post on her Instagram, Aua-Darko claimed that she first met Wiley at a dinner held in his honor at the Noldor Artist Residency, which she founded in 2020.
Aua Darko said that while she was leading Wiley and another dinner guest to the bathroom, Wiley grabbed her buttocks and groped her, saying, “He said something like, ‘What is this?'” It is said that Ms Awua Darko said afterwards that she “defused the situation with awkward humor”.
“This behavior was completely unwelcome and unwarranted. At this point, Wylie had barely known me, less than two hours had passed, and I was wearing a modest dark green caftan. “I had a lot of fun,” Awua-Darko wrote. “I was stunned and worried about her for two reasons: [A] This unilateral act happened at my workplace in Ghana. [B] It was done by a critically acclaimed artist who knew the power he had and was clearly prepared to abuse it. ”
Ms Awua-Darko said Mr Wiley had assaulted her a second time, but did not disclose the circumstances of the assault other than to say it was “more severe and violent”. He also claimed that Wiley had a “pattern of predatory behavior” that “has been treated as an open secret in the art world for quite some time.”
Aua-Darko spoke directly to Wiley, saying, “I will use your credibility, your influence, your loyalties, and everything else you have to keep those of us who have come forward in check.” I thoroughly recommend that you do it. I guarantee you, you will need it.”
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Kehinde Wiley appears to deny Joseph Our Darko’s sexual assault allegations
Wiley appeared to condemn Awua-Darko’s allegations against him in a post on his Instagram.
“These allegations are untrue and an insult to all victims of sexual abuse,” Wiley wrote. “I don’t know why he chose to target me in this way, especially when there is so much evidence that his claims are false.”
He concluded, “I hope he gets the help he needs, no matter what he’s going through.”
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline offers survivors and their loved ones a confidential, 24/7 service in English and Spanish. We offer free support: 800.656.HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org en Spanish RAINN.org/es.
Contributor: Kelly Lengyel, Arizona Republic
