A string of accusations against Artforum publisher Knight Landesman is seen by many as a vital tipping point within an industry that’s rife with misogyny

'It's hurting everyone': the truth about sexual misconduct in the art world

He is being called the Harvey Weinstein of the art world. Artforum magazine publisher Knight Landesman, 67, has been accused of sexual misconduct by nine younger women, which caused him to resign last week.

It all started with New York curator Amanda Schmitt, who worked at the magazine in 2009, when she was just 21, who says she was singled out for “unwanted sexual attention”. Schmitt has now filed a lawsuit and her actions have led to a slew of accusations from other women including artist Tiril Hasselknippe, who said Landesman took an interest in her artwork before making advances, and art writer Valerie Werder, who claims Landesman asked her explicit questions about her love life, before introducing her to industry contacts. The women have reported public groping, explicit text messages and requests for kisses and back rubs.

It’s as if the new protest placard is the proverbial hashtag, and it follows a similar format to the success of Alyssa Milano’s #MeToo campaign, which became a rallying cry against sexual harassment following the Weinstein scandal, as well as #boycottartforum and #myjobshouldnotincludeabuse.

More than 150 write letter denouncing sexual harassment in art world Read more

The art world’s #notsurprised campaign has garnered more than 2,000 signatures from artists, gallerists, writers and curators, alongside a public letter published in the Guardian. “The resignation of one publisher from one high-profile magazine does not solve the larger, more insidious problem: an art world that upholds inherited power structures at the cost of ethical behaviour,” reads the letter. “We will be silenced no longer.”

Art galleries, which have paid up to $8,500 for full-page ads in the magazine, are following suit by pulling their advertising support. One of them is New York gallery Blum & Poe.

“In reaction to recent alarming disclosures of Knight Landesman’s sexually predatory misconduct, and in an act of solidarity with those making public stands against unacceptable behavior, Blum & Poe will be discontinuing ad placement support with Artforum,” said the gallery in an emailed statement.

“We’ll await evidence of concrete change that eradicates sexual harassment and prioritizes gender justice at the magazine.”

Lisa Spellman, the owner of 303 Gallery in New York, has also pulled ads from the magazine, along with a gallery statement on Instagram, which reads: “Predatory behavior cannot be tolerated in our society, our industry, our spaces.”

Artforum magazine, widely known for its inaccessible artspeak, is under fire for mishandling the accusations against Landesman.

When Schmitt’s claims came forward, Artforum initially backed Landesman with a statement that said her allegations were “unfounded”. The following day, staff from Artforum released a statement condemning how the magazine handled the allegations.

“We are committed to gender justice and to the eradication of sexual harassment in the art community and beyond,” says the statement, which is signed by 51 staff members, including its new editor David Velasco, after Artforum’s editor-in-chief, Michelle Kuo, resigned last week. “We are now gravely aware of the work that needs to be done at our own publication, and call on the publishers to work with us to create radical and lasting change.”

New York photographer Collier Schorr questions the magazine’s policies and what men in the art world will do now following this scandal.

“What strikes me about this, is that women are being told they cultivated relationships with Knight Landesman, as if having a work relationship goes hand in hand with being fondled or subjected to sexual texts and statements,” said Schorr.

“We are all taught at a young age to curry favor, to make connections, shine at work to get ahead, so to hear this behavior is suddenly seen as ‘asking for it’ is so disturbing.”

She continues: “To hear that Knight Landesman routinely hired ‘pretty girls’ and that everyone knew he hired ‘pretty girls’ seems like a red flag.”

“In my mind, this situation seems hard to change,” said Schorr. “How are young women to navigate these relationships with older powerful men? Perhaps the question should be directed at the heads of organizations. Men in these communities should be having town hall meetings.”

This isn’t the first time that the magazine has shown signs of inequality, but will this be the last? It taps into a project by artist Micol Hebron, who tallied Artforum magazine’s support for women artists – of all the magazine’s 526 issues since 1962, only 18% of their cover artists have been women.

“If Artforum was as feminist as they claim, they would have demonstrated that in their editorial policies and shown more female and non-binary artists on their covers,” said Hebron, an art professor at Chapman University.

“There are far too many mechanisms for hiding and protecting abusers and I’m glad that people are slowly beginning to understand this is a deep-seated phenomenon and it’s hurting everyone,” she said. “It is not just the art world’s problem or the movie industry’s problem; it’s a problem globally and in every sector of culture and society.”

But beyond the hashtag flurry on social media, there are organizations working to help women in the art world, and always have. Nancy Azara, who is a board member at the New York Feminist Art Institute, says misogyny is everywhere. “In creative fields, it is all dressed up in glamor and fame, but it’s the same ‘big man’ and ‘little woman’ theme,” said Azara. “The idea that a man can use a woman this way is prevalent in our culture. In fact, it translates as ‘smart and shrewd’.”

She explains with an example: once upon a time, men held the keys to creative genius and women were considered their ‘supporters’.

“Vestiges of that belief abound, often having an affair with ‘him’ was presented as a transfer of genius and privilege,” said Azara.

Meanwhile, feminist art activists like the Guerrilla Girls have fought for gender and racial equality in the art world since 1985. Yet, this incident is just business as usual. “Almost all women, many men and transpeople have been sexually harassed and or abused by rich and powerful guys in the workplace,” said a spokesperson for the group. “The art world likes to think of itself as above it all.”

“Guess what? It isn’t.”