Mickalene Thomas’s former fiancée and enterprise accomplice has accused the modern artist of sexual harassment, nonpayment, and office retaliation in a lawsuit filed in New York State Supreme Courtroom on August 8.
Racquel Chevremont is looking for a minimum of $10 million, in addition to curiosity and attorneys’ charges, in “redress for years of exploitation, nonpayment, and illegal conduct,” in response to courtroom filings reviewed by Hyperallergic.
Chevremont, an artwork advisor, curator, and Actual Housewives of New York contestant, labored as an advisor and liaison for Thomas’s studio from 2012 to 2022, and maintained a private relationship with the artist that resulted in 2020. In a summons, Chevremont alleged that Thomas withheld thousands and thousands of {dollars} in funds for over a decade.
Thomas additionally “improperly pressured Ms. Chevremont to renew their romantic relationship” after they broke up, the lawsuit claims. When the latter refused, Thomas allegedly retaliated towards her by terminating her employment in violation of New York human rights and labor legal guidelines.
The lawsuit, first reported by the British on-line newspaper the Unbiased, is directed on the artist and her enterprise entity, Mickalene Thomas LLC. Hyperallergic has contacted Thomas’s studio and representing galleries in addition to Chevremont’s attorneys for remark.
Thomas is thought for large-scale work that usually depict Black ladies, incorporating rhinestones and different mixed-media parts to construct up the canvases. Amongst these is a 2016 portrait of Chevremont, “Racquel Reclining Carrying Purple Jumpsuit” (2016), that bought for $1.8 million at a Christie’s night sale in 2021.
It is a growing story. Please verify again for updates.
