Obama artist Kehinde Wiley denies sexual assault allegations

Based in New York Obama portraitist Kehinde Wiley has been accused of sexual assault and rape by a growing number of men.

Earlier this week, activist Derrick Ingram alleged that Wiley raped and sexually assaulted him in 2021. UK-based artist Nathaniel Lloyd Richards accused Wiley of inappropriate touching and groping in 2019 and Terrell Armistead has accused Wiley of rape.

Last month, Ghanaian artist Joseph Awuah-Darko said Wiley assaulted him twice during an event in Ghana in 2021.

Wiley took to Instagram on Tuesday to insist that all these accusations are false.

“I must set the record straight regarding the false allegations made against me,” Wiley wrote of Awuah-Darko. “My accuser’s disturbing allegations are baseless and defamatory. And, although I have remained largely silent, I must shine a light on the truth of how he pursued me over the years.

“We had a unique encounter. It was all consensual,” Wiley continued. He said Awuah-Darko “aggressively pursued” him for years and even flew from the UK to Nigeria to attend his birthday party. Wiley described Awuah-Darko as apparently obsessive and said his claims were “deranged” and “false.”

Wiley also addressed the rest of his accusers in this post.

“What motivates these individuals to make these disgusting accusations? Money? Fame? An insatiable need for attention? Who knows…. We live in a world where one false social media post can destroy someone's life, where people are judged and condemned online without regard for the truth.

“It’s dangerous and wrong,” Wiley said. “I encourage anyone who reads this article to take a closer look at my accusers and their motivations.” Wiley's attorney, Jennifer Barrett, said his client “intends to use all means at its disposal, legal or otherwise, to defend its reputation. »