British artist Tai Shani, who won the Turner Prize, has opted out of a planned monograph with Phaidon, the art publisher owned by Leon Black. This decision follows detailed allegations of sexual assault against Black, a billionaire in private equity, as revealed in the latest Epstein files.
Shani announced her withdrawal from the project on Instagram on February 17, referencing “numerous horrific allegations” from documents released by the Department of Justice. She emphasized that behind the allegations and geopolitical implications are real victims—young women and children from vulnerable backgrounds whose lives have been destroyed.
Phaidon has yet to respond to Hyperallergic’s request for comment. Black, who acquired Phaidon in 2012, was linked to Jeffrey Epstein after reports emerged in 2019 of him paying Epstein $158 million for financial advice. Black has consistently denied any wrongdoing and claims ignorance of Epstein’s criminal activities.
As calls for investigations into Black’s connections with Epstein persist, he has faced multiple lawsuits from women alleging sexual assault. These include a pending lawsuit from Jane Doe, who accused Black of abuse when she was 16. Black’s attorney, Susan Estrich, refuted these allegations, calling Jane Doe “a fraud” and mentioning potential sanctions against her and her former legal team.
In light of these revelations, the Guerrilla Girls renewed their critique of Black’s role at MoMA. Tai Shani, whose work spans film, photography, sculpture, and performance, emphasized her withdrawal as a moral necessity to keep her artistic practice free from affiliations that contradict her values.
