Renowned Artist Kehinde Wiley Accused of Sexual Assault by Ghanaian Social Entrepreneur Joseph Awuah-Darko “Okuntakinte”
On May 19th, the art world was shaken by a startling revelation. Ghanaian social entrepreneur, curator, and artist Joseph Nana Kwame Awuah-Darko, known as Okuntakinte, 27, accused renowned American portrait painter Kehinde Wiley of sexual assault.
Okuntakinte, took to Instagram to share his painful experience, which he claims occurred on June 9, 2021. Awuah-Darko provided a detailed account of two alleged incidents of sexual assault by Wiley on June 9, 2021. The first incident occurred during a dinner held in Wiley’s honor by Ghana’s Creative Art Council at the Noldor Artist Residency, where Awuah-Darko worked. He stated that Wiley inappropriately groped his buttocks while he was ushering Wiley and another guest to use the bathroom, an act that left Awuah-Darko stunned and concerned about the abuse of power by the celebrated artist.
The second alleged assault, described as “much more severe and violent,” occurred later that evening, though Awuah-Darko did not provide specific details about this incident in the screenshots.
Awuah-Darko explained that he did not immediately confront the reality of the abuse, taking several months to reconcile what had happened to him. He cited concerns about reporting the assault in Ghana, where anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments are prevalent, given Wiley’s self-described identity as a gay man.
In the years following the alleged abuse, Awuah-Darko stated that he experienced shame, self-harm thoughts, and self-doubt, questioning his actions and whether he would be ostracized for coming forward.[Screenshots]Awuah-Darko expressed his belief that there are other victims of abuse by Wiley in various locations, and that Wiley’s predatory behavior has been treated as an “open secret” within the art world for some time.
He invited Wiley to leverage his credibility, influence, and loyalists to “gag those of us who come forward,” asserting that Wiley would need all of his resources to do so.
In response to these allegations, Kehinde Wiley issued a statement on his social media, vehemently denying any wrongdoing. Wiley stated, “Someone I had a brief, consensual relationship with almost three years ago is now making a false accusation about our time together. These claims are not true and are an affront to all victims of sexual abuse. 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 — but I hope he gets the help he needs for whatever he is going through. I kindly ask for privacy as I work to clear my name.”
