Turner Prize-winning artist Tai Shani has officially terminated her book contract with Phaidon, the prominent arts publisher owned by billionaire collector Leon Black. Shani cited Black’s extensive financial ties to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the "horrific allegations" of sexual assault leveled against Black as the primary reasons for her withdrawal. Describing the move as a "feminist practice" of refusal, Shani walked away from a planned monograph despite praising the publisher's editorial team.
This development highlights the ongoing ethical pressures facing art institutions and businesses associated with Leon Black. While Black previously stepped down as chair of MoMA and resigned from Apollo Global Management following revelations of his $158 million payment to Epstein, Shani’s public exit signals that the contemporary art community remains unwilling to overlook his history. The move underscores a growing trend of artists leveraging their cultural capital to protest the sources of wealth underpinning major art world entities.