A nude artist has accused a museum of allegedly ‘turning a blind eye’ to ‘sexual assaults’ by visitors.
John Bonafede – who was performing live at ‘The Artist is Present’ Marina Abramovic exhibition in 2010 – has sued New York‘s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) for allegedly failing to prevent people from groping him.
The professional artist has alleged that the museum ‘had actual knowledge of ongoing sexual assaults against many of its worker-performers in the exhibition’, which included himself, ‘yet it intentionally and negligently failed to take corrective action to prevent the assaults from recurring’.
In one performance piece, Bonafede stood ‘silent, still, and completely nude’ with another exhibition performer in a door way.
The duo were 18ins apart as visitors were encouraged to walk in between them to get from one gallery to the next, the lawsuit claims.
It was claimed that Bonafede was then ‘sexually assaulted’ on ‘seven occasions’ by five different members of the public who would ‘fondle and/or grope’ his ‘genitals’.
The artist said that the alleged perpetrators were ‘always an older male’ and would stay around ‘for a moment before moving through into the next gallery room’.
He did not inform the museum of the first incident because he said he was in a ‘state of shock’, however, he claims he informed exhibition staff about the other alleged incidents.
The lawsuit – which comes under New York’s Adult Survivors Act – also states that one of the alleged perpetrators was a MoMA corporate member.
Their membership was allegedly revoked as a result.
At the time of the alleged incidents, the museum said in a statement: “We are well aware of the challenges posed by having nude performers in the galleries.
“Any visitor who improperly touches or disturbs any of the performers is escorted from the museum by MoMA security.”
One performer, Amelia Uzategui Bonilla, told The New York Post in 2010: “We have a way to let security know if we’re having an emergency, but we’re all prepared for discomfort. You just have to suck it up!.”
Speaking more broadly about performing, artist Elke Luyten added: “I never feel awkward.
“I never feel strange.
“Even when teenagers laugh, I never feel laughed at.
“Because Marina is there on the second floor, you feel you’re part of something bigger.”
Bonafede is seeking unspecified damages and a jury trial.
LADbible has contacted New York’s Museum of Modern Art for comment.
