Renowned artist Kehinde Wiley, celebrated for his portrait of former President Barack Obama, has strongly denied recent allegations of sexual assault.
The accusations were made by Ghanaian artist Joseph Awuah-Darko, who alleged in May 2024 that Wiley assaulted him twice in 2021 during an event in Ghana, the DailyMail reports.
Wiley has called the claims “false, disturbing, and defamatory,” maintaining that their interactions were consensual.
In an effort to defend himself, Wiley has released screenshots of messages he claims demonstrate a friendly and even flirty relationship with Awuah-Darko after the alleged incidents. These messages included warm texts and evidence of ongoing communication. Wiley also stated that Awuah-Darko had actively pursued a deeper connection over the years, even traveling to events and exhibits involving Wiley, which Wiley says contradict the allegations.
Wiley has vowed to pursue all legal avenues to clear his name and has expressed concern for the impact of false claims on true survivors of sexual violence. Awuah-Darko has not commented further since his initial public statement.
#Welp!
