A lot has happened since three women accused architect David Adjaye of sexual harassment on Tuesday, leading to reactions from the art world.
On Tuesday, Financial Times published a report based on the statements of three Black women (who chose to remain anonymous). The women, who all worked with David Adjaye in the past, accused the architect of ‘sexual harassment’. In addition, they also claimed that his company, Adjaye Associates, was a ‘toxic workplace’. The report highlighted that all three women were Black, single mothers in their 40s who were professionally well-connected and knew Adjaye before working with him.
For his part, Adjaye firmly refuted the allegations. “I absolutely reject any claims of sexual misconduct, abuse or criminal wrongdoing. These allegations are untrue, distressing for me and my family and run counter to everything I stand for”, he said in a statement. However, he did admit that he was in a consensual relationship with them, and promised to seek professional help. His attorney released a separate statement, refuting the allegations and saying the women had “their own grievances”.
In the immediate aftermath, David Adjaye announced that he would step down from his role as an advisor to the mayor of London. He also announced the decision to suspend work on a Holocaust Memorial in the city. However, over the following day, more reactions came from the artwork. The de Cordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Massachusetts, USA announced that they would no longer feature a sculpture of Adjaye, which was scheduled for Fall. The Counterpublic Triennial in St. Louis also said that they are re-evaluating their decision to feature a large sculpture by Adjaye which was introduced in their last edition.
David Adjaye is one of the most prominent architects in the art world. He has been behind buildings like the Museum of Contemporary Art (Denver) and the Aïshti Foundation (Lebanon). He also has a string of projects nearing completion, including the Africa Institute in Sharjah and the Kiran Nadar Museum in Delhi.
