Obama artist Kehinde Wiley speaks about rape allegations

Kehinde Wiley – the New York-based artist best known for the official portrait of Barack Obama – is defending herself against accusations of sexual harassment and abuse made by numerous men.

One of the accusers, Ghanaian artist Joseph Awuah-Darko, claimed in an Instagram post that Wiley attacked him twice in 2021.

But on Tuesday, Wiley posted on Instagram alleged recordings of Awuah-Darko messaging him since the alleged incident in 2021 and “professing his love for me, my talent and my work.”

Additionally, “he mentioned me more than 30 times in his Instagram stories,” Wiley wrote. “Before he made these insane false claims and deleted thousands of Instagram posts that didn’t fit his story, he celebrated our friendship on his feed,” the artist added.

Awuah-Darko did not comment on Kehinde’s counterargument.

Another accuser, activist Derrick Ingram, recently came forward and accused Wiley of rape.

“On September 10, 2021, I was raped (unprotected) and sexually assaulted by Kehinde Wiley in his New York apartment,” Ingram claimed publicly this week, providing Wiley’s address in an Instagram post.

Ingram wrote that the couple had a “relationship lasting approximately four months” between July and October.

“Throughout our relationship, there were moments of extreme violence, including punches in an Uber, slapping, and severe emotional manipulation,” he claimed. (Wiley has denied all allegations.)

Wiley’s works sell for hundreds of thousands at auction and he is a favorite of celebrity collectors such as Elton John, Spike Lee, Alicia Keys and Venus Williams.

Wiley also made a cameo appearance in Jay-Z’s music video “Picasso Baby,” which was shot at the Louvre in 2013, and has created portraits of Michael Jackson, Keys and her husband Swizz Beatz, among others.

Wiley called himself the victim of a “ruthless smear campaign” and accused Awuah-Darko of conspiring with Ingram, “an individual with whom I had a brief consensual encounter in 2021; this individual too had hoped for a more meaningful relationship,” he wrote in his social media post.

Wiley also shared alleged text messages from Ingram “saying I’m ‘awesome’ and that he ‘wants to see me again,'” he wrote.

“What motivates these people to make these disgusting allegations… Who knows… We live in a world where a single false social media post can destroy a person’s life, where people are tried and convicted online with no regard for the truth. This is dangerous and wrong,” Wiley said.

A source close to the artist told Page Six: “Kehinde has had enough and will not be made a scapegoat for these unfounded allegations.”

Since then, two more alleged victims have come forward: UK-based author and curator Nathaniel Lloyd Richards accused Wiley of “inappropriate touching and groping during a date in 2019,” according to a statement he provided to online art magazine Hyperallergic.

Wiley’s lawyer Jennifer Barrett told Page Six: “Mr. Wiley denies any inappropriate conduct toward Nathaniel Lloyd Richards.”

Meanwhile, Terrell Armistead came forward on Tuesday and claimed that Wiley had also raped him. “In the winter of 2010, I was groped and raped by Kehinde Wiley – both without my consent in his apartment in New York,” he claimed in an Instagram post.

Both Awuah-Darko and Ingram shared his story by reposting it on their Instagram accounts.

Wiley also denies Armistead’s accusation, and his lawyer blames Awuah-Darko, claiming he “found another problematic individual to join his campaign to defame Mr. Wiley.”

“Mr. Wiley does not know who this latest accuser is. Nor does he remember ever meeting him. What is clear, however, is that the events he describes never occurred… Unfortunately, this appears to be another example of an individual being manipulated to join the slanderous campaign of Mr. Awuah-Darko, who has harassed Mr. Wiley’s friends and colleagues in a desperate attempt to obtain information that will support his vendetta and build his false case,” Barrett further claimed.

“Mr. Wiley will not allow this to happen. He intends to use all legal and other means at his disposal to defend his reputation,” she added.

A legal dispute appears to be looming over the alleged incidents.

ARTnews reported that Ingram – the executive director of the nonprofit organization Warriors in the Garden – and Awuah-Darko both plan to sue Wiley.

Barrett told the broadcaster: “Posting something on Instagram doesn’t mean it’s true… But in today’s world, anyone can spread blatant lies with a single post and the public will take it at face value.” She went on to say there was “no evidence” for Ingram’s claims.

Wiley had previously posted about Awuah-Darko’s claims: “Someone with whom I had a brief, consensual relationship is now making false, disturbing and defamatory allegations about our time together. These allegations hurt me deeply and I will use every legal avenue at my disposal to bring the truth to light and clear my name.”

The New Yorker called Wiley “one of the most influential figures in global black culture.”