The Studio Museum in Harlem has reportedly severed ties with David Adjaye after three women accused the Anglo-Ghanaian architect of sexual assault and harassment. According to New York Times.

“The alleged actions run counter to the founding principles and values ​​of the Studio Museum,” said Raymond J. McGuire, Chairman of the Studio Museum Board of Trustees. Time in a report. Adjaye told the newspaper that “the prospect of charges against [him] tarnishing the museum and creating a distraction is too much to bear.

The Studio Museum has not yet responded to Hyperallergicimmediate request for comments.

News of the Studio Museum and Adjaye’s separation follows similar announcements from institutions in the UK and US. The British Holocaust Memorial in London has confirmed that it won’t work anymore with the architect, who also resigned as architectural adviser to the Mayor of London and trustee of the Serpentine Gallery. In Lincoln, Mass., the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum has put plans to show Adjaye’s sculpture “Asaase” (2021) this fall on “indefinite hold.” And Adjaye Associates will no longer be involved in plans for a new Multnomah County Library building in Portland, according to a July 5 notice on its website.

The charges in question, detailed in a FinancialTimes report published on July 4, were presented by three anonymized women who were former employees of the Adjaye company. Under the aliases Maya, Gene and Dunia, they alleged that the famed architect engaged in various forms of sexual harassment, ranging from coercion to assault. They also said Adjaye failed to pay them in a timely manner and accused him of discriminating against black women.

Adjaye denied allegations of wrongdoing. In a statement shared with Hyperallergic by Kendal Advisory, a crisis management firm representing the architect, he called the accusations “false”.

“I’m ashamed to say that I’ve formed relationships that, while entirely consensual, have blurred the lines between my professional life and my personal life,” Adjaye said. “I am deeply sorry. To restore trust and accountability, I will immediately seek professional help to learn from these mistakes to ensure they never happen again.

Other museums and cultural organizations have yet to announce a rift with the architect, but some have issued public statements acknowledging the allegations. The Triennale Counterpublic of Saint-Louis, which presents a sculptural installation by Adjaye at the Griot Museum of Black History, said he would “evaluate the best next steps in the coming days in dialogue with our community”.

At Princeton University in New Jersey, a new art museum designed by Adjaye is scheduled to open in late 2024. Director James Steward said in a statement to the New York Times that the museum, whose construction began in 2021, would proceed as planned at this stage. “We find the nature of the charges extremely disturbing,” Steward told the newspaper. “It’s fair to say that most of our work with Adjaye is behind us. We have an obligation to everyone involved in this project to see it through to completion. Princeton University has yet to respond to Hyperallergicrequest for comment.