Fatamorgana Art School Director Resigns After Bullying Allegations from Students

Morten Bo has stepped down as director of Denmark's Fatamorgana art school following bullying accusations from students. More than 70 current and former students signed an open letter detailing complaints about his leadership style, which they described as unpleasant, degrading, and discriminatory, particularly toward women. The allegations include using derogatory language such as 'bitches' or 'chickens' to refer to female students and blocking students on Facebook, a platform used for school communication. Three students quit the school earlier this year, citing unaddressed grievances. Bo, who co-founded the Ragnarok group in 1973 and established Fatamorgana in Copenhagen in 1989, had led the institution for 30 years. His resignation occurred just an hour before a scheduled emergency board meeting where he was to answer the allegations. Subsequently, the five-person board, including members Henrik Saxgren, Trine Sondergaard, Momo Friis, Bjorn Norgaard, and Bjorn Nørgaard, also resigned, stating they wished to 'give space for a new generation.' Photographer and former student Cécile Baudier commented in Journalisten that Bo's controversial and eccentric leadership was never a secret. Bo initially gained recognition as a documentary photographer in the 1970s before shifting to abstraction by the end of the decade.