Artist who performed nude in 2010 Marina Abramovic exhibition sues MoMA over sexual assault claims
ALBANY, N.Y. — An artist who appeared nude in a show by world-renowned performance artist Marina Abramovic at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City is suing the museum, saying it took no action after he was sexually assaulted multiple times during the performances for nearly fourteen years abused. past.
The charges were filed Monday in Manhattan under the New York Adult Survivors Act, a special state law that created a yearlong suspension of the usual time limit for prosecutors to file charges. Although the law expired last year, the lawsuit says the parties agreed to extend the window closure.
John Bonafede alleges in the lawsuit that he was sexually assaulted by five public spectators who attended a show he was hired by the museum to perform as part of Abramovic’s retrospective “The Artist Is Present.”
Email messages sent to the museum this week were not returned. Abramovic is not named as a defendant and did not immediately return a request for comment.
In the work, titled “Imponderabilia,” Bonafede and another artist stood face to face in a doorway, about 18 inches apart, completely nude, still and silent. The exhibit, which ran from March 14, 2010 through May 31, 2010, was curated by the museum in a manner that encouraged visitors to walk among the artists as they moved from one gallery to another, the lawsuit alleges.
The people who attacked Bonafede were mostly older men, the indictment said. One of the perpetrators was a corporate member of the museum, who was eventually kicked out and had his membership revoked, according to the complaint.
During the final weeks of the exhibition, another attendee groped Bonafede’s private areas three times without consent before they were finally stopped by security, the complaint said.
According to the lawsuit, Bonafede immediately reported four of the individuals to museum staff and security, while the fifth was personally observed by museum security staff.
At one point, Bonafede also witnessed an audience member sexually assault his female co-star by kissing her on the mouth without her consent, the lawsuit said.
Before the exhibition, the artists had expressed concerns in a letter to the museum during contract negotiations about naked artists being victims of harassment.
Once it started, several news outlets, including the New York Times, reported on the inappropriate behavior of visitors, and the sexual attacks on “Imponderabilia” were discussed within New York City’s art and performance communities, according to the complaint.
But despite being aware of the issue, the museum failed to take action to protect the performers and prevent further sexual assaults, such as telling visitors in advance that touching was not allowed. the lawsuit said.
About a month after the exhibition, the museum created a handbook of protocols that allowed the artists to alert museum staff if they felt unsafe or were being touched inappropriately.
Bonafede agreed to continue the performance after being attacked over the exhibit’s “tough it out” culture, the lawsuit says, but suffered from emotional problems for years, damaging his mental health, body image and career .
The Associated Press generally does not name people who say they have been sexually assaulted unless they come forward publicly. Bonafede gave permission through his attorney, Jordan Fletcher.
Fletcher declined to comment further on the lawsuit, but said they will seek a jury trial and damages.
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Maysoon Khan is a staff member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.