Djerassi Artist Residency Trustees Attended 2011 Epstein Island Conference
During the "Mindshift Conference" in 2011, trustees of the Djerassi Resident Artists Program, Alexander Maxwell Djerassi and Michael Molesky, visited Jeffrey Epstein's Little Saint James island, with events also taking place at the Ritz Carlton on Saint Thomas. Maxwell Djerassi, nephew of Ghislaine Maxwell—Epstein's convicted associate—joined the board in 2017 alongside Molesky, who is the founder of Marker and a former COO of LiveRail. A spokesperson indicated they were unaware of Epstein's crimes during a social lunch. The Djerassi program, founded in 1979 by Carl Djerassi and Diane Middlebrook, has seen many prominent alumni. Recent Epstein files have unveiled connections to the art community, including David A. Ross's resignation and accusations against Leon Black.
Key facts
- Alexander Maxwell Djerassi and Michael Molesky visited Epstein's island in 2011
- The visit was part of the "Mindshift Conference" for science and medicine academics
- Maxwell Djerassi is Ghislaine Maxwell's nephew
- Both trustees joined the Djerassi board in 2017
- The Djerassi program was founded in 1979 by Carl Djerassi and Diane Middlebrook
- A former employee said staff knew about the visit before the Epstein files release
- Maxwell Djerassi worked under Hillary Clinton at the State Department
- The Epstein files have revealed other art world connections to Epstein
Entities
Artists
- Lava Thomas
- Viet Thanh Nguyen
- Carl Djerassi
- Diane Middlebrook
- Pamela Djerassi Bush
- Dale Djerassi
Institutions
- Djerassi Resident Artists Program
- Department of Justice
- Hyperallergic
- Ritz Carlton
- Commtouch
- Marker
- LiveRail
- Meta
- School of Visual Arts
- Museum of Modern Art
- US Department of State
- Carnegie Endowment
- The New York Times
- TechCrunch
- Caltech
Locations
- California
- Santa Cruz Mountains
- Little Saint James
- US Virgin Islands
- Saint Thomas
- New York
- Israel
- Iran