ALBANY.- An artist who appeared naked in a retrospective of world-renowned artist Marina Abramovic at the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA) is suing the museum, arguing that the institution failed to take action after he was sexually assaulted several times by people. from the audience during his performance almost 14 years ago.
The lawsuit was filed in Manhattan under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, a special state law that temporarily suspended the statute of limitations so alleged victims of sex crimes could file their lawsuits. The law expired last year, but the lawsuit says the parties agreed to expand its limit.
John Bonafede alleges in the lawsuit that he was sexually assaulted by five spectators who attended a performance in which he was hired by the museum to perform as part of the Abramovic retrospective. The Artist Is Present.
Emails were sent to the museum this week without receiving a response. Abramovic is not named as a defendant and did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Work linked to the lawsuit at MoMA
The work, titled Imponderabilia, showed Bonafede and another artist standing face to face in a doorway about 45 centimeters (18 inches) away, completely naked, silent and motionless. The exhibition, which ran from March 14 to May 31, 2010, was curated by the museum in a way that encouraged visitors to pass between the artists as they walk from gallery to gallery.
“The people who attacked Bonafede were mostly older men,” the lawsuit says. One of the perpetrators worked for the museum. Ultimately, he was expelled and his membership was revoked, according to the lawsuit.
During the final weeks of the exhibition, another attendee touched Bonafede’s private areas without consent three times before he was stopped by guards, according to the lawsuit.
Bonafede reported four of the individuals to museum staff and security immediately, according to the lawsuit, while the fifth was discovered at the time by museum security personnel.
At one point, Bonafede also witnessed a public attendee sexually assault his performance partner by kissing her on the mouth without her consent, according to the lawsuit.
Media complaint
Before the exhibition, the artists had expressed concerns about the harassment they might face while being naked in a letter to the museum during contract negotiations.
Once the exhibition began, various media outlets, including the New York Times, reported inappropriate visitor behavior and sexual assaults at Imponderabilia were discussed within the New York art and performance communities.
But even though the museum was aware of the problem, it failed to take steps to protect the artists and prevent further sexual assaults, such as telling visitors in advance not to be allowed to touch them, according to court documents.
About a month after the exhibition began, the museum created a manual outlining protocols for artists to alert museum staff if they feel unsafe or are touched inappropriately.
Bonafede agreed to continue his participation after he was attacked due to the exhibition’s heavy-handed culture, but suffered for years from emotional distress and his mental health, body image and career were damaged as a result.
The Associated Press generally does not name people who say they have been sexually assaulted unless they come forward publicly. Bonafede gave his consent through his attorney, Jordan Fletcher.
Fletcher declined to comment further on the lawsuit, but said they will seek a jury trial and compensatory damages.
FUENTE: AP
