Kehinde Wiley is accused of sexual assault by Joseph Awuah-Darko

Joseph Awuah-Darko, a Ghanaian artist, musician and curator and collector of contemporary African and Diaspora art. He was born in the United Kingdom.

Kehinde Wiley is known for his portraits of former President Barack Obama for the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. He was born in Los Angeles to a Nigerian father and an African-American mother. He identifies as a gay man.

The first sexual assault occurred at a dinner hosted by the Creative Art Council of Ghana for Wiley at the Noldor Artist Residency in 2021. According to Awuah-Darko, Wiley first touched him inappropriately on his buttocks while pointing him toward the restroom.

Awuah-Darko said on Instagram that there had been a second attack “Much more intense and violent” thereafter. He provided further information to the New York Times. He explained how the initial consensual sexual contact escalated to violence as it progressed into the bedroom. He said Wiley forced himself on him after he made it clear he didn’t want to continue.

In an Instagram statement, Wiley denied the allegations, saying the claims were untrue and that he had a brief, consensual relationship with Wiley almost three years ago.

Awuah-Darko has received a cease-and-desist letter from Wiley’s lawyers asking him to remove the Instagram post and to stop making any further statements that disparage Wiley. No formal criminal charges were filed against Wiley.