Artist Chuck Close accused of sexual misconduct
Two women have come forward accusing the artist of making lewd comments whilst they modeled for him in his studio.
Artist Julia Fox, who agreed to model for Close, was not told that the session would involve nudity. Close also told Fox “your pussy looks delicious”, before the artist and model left his studio. A graduate student at the Yale School of Art had a similar experience, and has claimed that Close asked her to undress and to touch her.
Close’s lawyer Lance Gotko has adamantly refuted the allegations, saying: “The most that can be said about the allegations against Mr. Close is that he uttered some words (some of which were sexually frank) which are alleged to have offended the sensibilities of these adult individuals... This does not come close to reaching the level, and would only serve to cheapen the coin, of the terrible misconduct that rightly has been condemned of late.” Read the full report via The Huffington Post.
Former Jewish Museum curator Jens Hoffman denies sexual harassment allegations
Days after being terminated by the Jewish Museum, former curator Jens Hoffmann has denied the sexual harassment allegations brought against him by members of the museum’s staff. “I have never knowingly or purposefully behaved in a bullying, intimidating, harassing, or sexually inappropriate manner”, said Hoffmann in a statement. More via ARTnews.
Jens Hoffman.
In Beijing, the government’s mass eviction of migrants have consequences on the artistic community
Chinese artist Hua Yong was arrested last Saturday (and released on Monday) for documenting the government’s mass evictions of migrant workers from their Beijing tenement buildings.
Following a fire at a Beijing tenement that housed migrant workers, killing 19 people in November, authorities began cracking down on the community, leading to mass evictions and demolitions of buildings, with the art community losing studio and gallery storage spaces. Read more on The Art Newspaper.
Artist Hua Yong.
