In late 2017, during the meetoo era, it was revealed that Chuck Close, a highly influential and stylistically renowned American painter, had sexually assaulted and harassed several women. At the time, Close had been lending many of his portraits to Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) and Seattle University free of charge.
PAFA chose to keep their Close exhibition displayed, adding placards explaining and condemning his behaviour, and creating a space where visitors could write their thoughts about issues of gender and accountability in the arts. They also organised an exhibition by female artists to sit alongside Close’s work. PAFA continues to teach Close’s work in its curriculum.
Conversely, Seattle responded by removing Close’s exhibition and no longer teaching or displaying his work.