Jon Rafman exhibition cancelled amid abuse allegations, institutions respond

The Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal has indefinitely suspended Jon Rafman's exhibition after anonymous Instagram allegations surfaced, accusing him of emotional and sexual abuse. An account named @survivingtheartworld, which has been active since July 16, 2020, shared personal accounts of his relationships. As a result, Rafman's pieces, Disasters Under the Sun (2019) and Poor Magic (2017), were taken down. Additionally, Montreal city officials delayed a public artwork by him, and his gallery, Bradley Ertaskiran, ceased representation. In response on Twitter, Rafman expressed sorrow and apologized for any emotional distress, asserting that all interactions were consensual and that he was unaware of the complaints until the posts emerged. The Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C., also postponed a planned exhibition for October due to the allegations. While Kunstverein Hannover still lists an upcoming show, Centraal Museum Utrecht is currently showcasing his work. Rafman's legal team sent a cease and desist letter to the Instagram account, which additionally accused the late artist Roland Brenner and Swiss artist Karim Noureldin. Artist Amalia Ulman weighed in on the discussion, highlighting the importance of women's sexual freedom without specifically defending Rafman. No illegal actions have been claimed.