Nude Performance Artist Files Lawsuit Against MoMA After Getting Groped In Exhibit

Performance artist John Bonafede filed a lawsuit against the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, claiming he was groped while performing nude in an exhibit from 2010 honoring the work of artist Marina Abramovic.

This week, 14 years after the incidents, paperwork concerning the case was officially submitted to the New York Supreme Court. Bonafede is seeking to be compensated by the museum for emotional distress, career disruption and humiliation, among other damages.

Bonafede participated in an exhibit from the popular installment from the 1970s called “Imponderabilia” by Abramovic. This particular performance requires two nude performance artists to face each other in respective doorways, causing patrons to have to squeeze past them to enter the gallery room.

During his time in the gallery, Bonafede claims to have been sexually assaulted by visitors five times. After each event, he filed a report with security, but according to Bonafede, the museum did not do anything to stop the assaults even when witnessed directly.

In the court documents, Bonafede claims that security “turned a blind eye” to the incidents, causing a hostile work environment that allowed for the assault of performers regularly.

Bonafede’s lawyer, Jordan Fletcher, said, “John believes that there should be edgy performance art like this in major institutions, but his goal here is to make sure that performers are properly taken care of and that their safety is ensured.”

Bonafede was not the only performer affected by this hostile work environment. Other performers were said to have fainted regularly or were touched inappropriately by patrons. This lawsuit stands to represent all of the performers who were assaulted while participating in this exhibit.