WORCESTER, Mass. — A former curator has sued a Massachusetts artwork museum for subjecting her to racism, derision and criticism associated to her background as an individual of South Asian descent, the swimsuit says.
Rachel Parikh, the previous affiliate curator of the humanities of Asia and the Islamic world on the Worcester Art Museum, alleges within the swimsuit that she was “mocked and ridiculed because she is a brown-skinned woman of South Asian (Indian) descent and subjected to a hostile and offensive work environment and retaliation” throughout her employment from February 2020 till final September.
The swimsuit filed final month in Worcester Superior Court additionally names as defendants museum director Matthias Waschek, director of curatorial affairs Claire Whitner, and 4 members of the manager committee.
It claims discrimination based mostly on gender and race. It seeks a jury trial and unspecified damages.
The museum’s lawyer, David Felper, mentioned in a press release that the “complaint is filled with unsupported allegations and statements taken out of context.”
“We remain confident that the actual facts and law will clearly show that there is no merit to the claims that were filed,” he mentioned.
The swimsuit mentions a number of allegations of wrongdoing, together with at a brunch in November 2021 when the museum director and his husband repeatedly mimicked an Indian accent whereas speaking a couple of British tv present.
“These comments were unwelcome, offensive and the incident was humiliating and deeply disturbing,” the swimsuit mentioned.
On one other event in March 2022, when Parikh attended a cocktail party on the director’s dwelling, he and his husband requested “very personal and offensive questions” about her household and background that made her really feel “extremely uncomfortable, offended and ‘othered,’ ” the swimsuit mentioned.
In a press release, Waschek known as the allegations “patently false.”
“I have worked hard over the last thirty plus years to build a reputation of professionalism and integrity,” he mentioned. “As a gay man who has experienced discrimination first-hand, I have always held DEAI issues as a core value, and have sought to do my best to eliminate discrimination from the workplace and build a culture of inclusivity.”
Waschek’s husband doesn’t work on the museum and isn’t listed as a defendant.
In one occasion in March 2021 after a presentation, the director of curatorial affairs informed Parikh that she wanted to put on make-up and jewellery to “look like a curator,” suggesting she was “unkempt and primitive,” in line with the swimsuit.
“Telling the only curator of color at WAM that she needs to ‘look like a curator,’ has both sexist and racial connotations,” the swimsuit alleges, “especially since the curatorial field is predominantly white.”
Waschek has a sample of discriminatory conduct, each on the museum and at his earlier place on the Pulitzer Arts Foundation, in line with the lawsuit.
The museum employed an out of doors agency to research Parikh’s allegations, and located that whereas they might not be verified, they had been credible.
In a press release the museum mentioned it can tackle the precise claims made within the swimsuit in courtroom.
“Worcester Art Museum remains committed to providing a workplace where everyone is treated with dignity and respect, so we take these allegations very seriously,” the assertion mentioned.
Content Source: www.washingtontimes.com