A former nude artist claims in a new lawsuit that Museum of Modern Art staff “turned a blind eye” and didn’t do enough to stop visitors from groping her privates while she was performing at an exhibition.
John Bonafede argued in a lawsuit filed in Manhattan court on Monday that he was fondled by five different men on seven different occasions at an exhibition called “Marina Abramovich: The Artist is Present” in 2010.
Bonafede was working at the time as a “Re-Performer,” which meant recreating some of Abramovich’s previous works for a special exhibition.
His task was to stand completely still for 75 minutes, and stare straight ahead at a woman staring back at him in the same pose in a piece titled “Imponderabilia.”
As part of the exhibition, attendees were encouraged to squeeze between two performers to enter the next gallery.
But on seven separate occasions, Bonafede claims she was fondled in “very similar” ways, all by “older men,” according to the suit obtained by The Post.
In each case, it said, the men would turn sideways to face Bonafede, drop their hands and “kiss and/or grope” her privates, “lingering for a moment before moving on to the next gallery room.”
John Bonafede claims he was groped by five men on seven different occasions while standing still in a piece titled “Imponderabilia.” Image courtesy of Getty Images
One of the men allegedly assaulted her directly by a MOMA security guard, and the other was “filmed live by a camera crew, who happened to be filming Plaintiff’s performance at the time,” the lawsuit says.
A third completed three different trips around the exhibit “groping Plaintiff’s private parts without consent each time before he was finally restrained by MOMA security,” according to the suit.
“The sole purpose of such sexual contact was to degrade or abuse the Plaintiff, and to satisfy the sexual desires of the Bystander,” the lawsuit states, claiming that the groping “presented a risk of serious physical injury to the Plaintiff, including the risk of causing injury to Plaintiff’s genitalia and/or risk of sexually transmitted infections.”
Bonafede claims he did not report the first attack to museum staff because he felt museum and exhibition staff had adopted a “firm” attitude to deal with anything unexpected. Instagram/John Bonafede
Bonafede claims he did not report the first attack to museum staff because he felt museum and exhibition staff had adopted a “firm” attitude to deal with anything unexpected.
A performer was also fired on the first day of the show for not remaining completely silent, and suggested to Bonafide that he remain silent to avoid the same happening to him.
“As a result of the messages she received during her MOMA-funded and MOMA-supervised training with Abramovic… Plaintiff was inculcated into a communal belief system endorsed by MOMA in which Re-Performers are expected to submit, silently and undividedly, to whatever the Performers conduct those present may choose to engage, including repeated sexual assaults,” the lawsuit alleges.
Bonafede worked at the time as a “Re-Performer,” recreating some of Abramovich’s previous works for special exhibitions. dpa alliance/image via Getty Images
But the lawsuit says Bonafede notified museum security for each of the following incidents, as other performers reported similar behavior — including one performer who told The Post at the time, “It can be a little sketchy.
“Sometimes, there’s a feeling like, ‘Oh, this is kind of rough,’ and then it goes away,” Matthew Rogers said.
Finally, the museum admitted it had problems with people groping its models.
“We are acutely aware of the challenges posed by nude performers in the gallery for this exhibition,” the museum said in a statement to The Post at the time.
“Any visitor who inappropriately touches or disturbs any of the performers will be escorted from the museum by MoMA security.”
The museum also allegedly used a “signal system” to signal assault, and created a handbook outlining protocols on how to handle attendees after they behave inappropriately.
But it never posted any signs or verbally warned museum visitors to take care of themselves while walking through the exhibit and museum staff refused to give Bonafede the identity of his alleged harasser so he could pursue charges, the lawsuit alleges.
The museum finally admitted it had a problem with people groping nude performers. Robert Miller
As a result of the inappropriate touching, the lawsuit alleges Bonafede suffered “years of ‘garden variety’ emotional stress” and had her “mental health, body image and career significantly impaired.”
She has now filed a lawsuit under New York’s Adult Rescue Act, and is seeking an unspecified amount in damages.
The window to file a complaint under the act expired last year, but the suit says Bonafede was granted an agreed-upon extension before the window closed.
The Post has reached out to the Museum of Modern Art for comment.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
