Famed Artist's Assistant Raped, Groomed Aspiring Painter: NYC Lawsuit

NEW YORK CITY — A New York City art world fixture used his notoriety as acclaimed artist Louise Bourgeois' assistant to groom and repeatedly rape an aspiring painter, according to a new lawsuit.

The painter filed a civil complaint in Manhattan court Tuesday detailing months of sexual abuse in the early 2000s that he contends he suffered by Jerry Gorovoy.

Gorovoy took the painter, then 22 years old, under his wing as the young artist tried to break into the city's art scene, the lawsuit states.

But Gorovoy's actions ultimately served to groom and manipulate the vulnerable young painter, whom he ultimately began to rape, the lawsuit contends. The painter — who Patch is not naming because he says he's the victim of sexual assault — "disassociated" during the rapes to escape the trauma, according to the lawsuit.

"He was shell-shocked," the lawsuit states. "He felt he had been erased from the world."

Gorovoy's lawyer, in a statement provided to Patch, denied the accusations.

"The fabricated allegations in the complaint were initially made as part of a demand that Mr. Gorovoy pay the plaintiff millions of dollars to avoid the filing of a lawsuit," the statement reads. "Following that demand, we thoroughly investigated the claims that are in the complaint and are confident that they are completely baseless and falsely sensationalized. We intend to prove that and look forward to all the facts being revealed."

The lawsuit was filed under the state's Adult Survivors Act, which provides survivors of sexual assault a one-year lookback window in which they can file lawsuits, regardless of when the abuse occurred.

The filing contends the painter still suffers trauma from Gorovoy's sexual abuse and rapes.

"We're determined to pursue justice for (him) under the Adult Survivors Act," said Nick Bourland, one of the painter's attorneys.

Gorovoy spent decades as an assistant to Bourgeois, a French artist turned New Yorker as one of the "great figures of modern and contemporary art" by the Tate in London. After Bourgeois' death in 2010, Gorovoy owns the one of the largest private collections of her art and advises her legacy foundation, according to the lawsuit.

"Mr. Gorovoy is also a rapist," the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit states the painter, who came to New York City after a difficult childhood in Canada, idolized Bourgeois and was thrilled that Gorovoy agreed to see his artwork in 2000.

Gorovoy dismissed the painter's work, but apologized days later and bought a painting — an action that began months of calls and offers of help from Gorovoy, the lawsuit states.

Nearly every aspect of the painter's personal and professional life — from housing, to work, to art materials, career prospects and a United States visa — eventually came to be provided by, and "could be taken away by" Gorovoy, the lawsuit states.

Gorovoy began to sexually assault the painter in 2001, despite the young artist refusing advances and telling him he wasn't gay, according to the lawsuit.

The painter "left completely trapped" as he was living in a loft in Gorovoy's building that Gorovoy had told him to move into, the lawsuit states.

Over four months, Gorovoy "systematically raped" the young artist, the lawsuit contends. He did so two more times in 2002, and let himself into the loft both times without permission, according to the lawsuit.

"Like he did with the prior rapes, (the painter) disassociated while Mr. Gorovoy raped him," the lawsuit states about one incident.

The sexual assaults and rapes ended in 2002 shortly before the painter fled to Portugal to escape Gorovoy, the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount of damages.

Updated Wednesday at 12:59 p.m. with comment from Jerry Gorovoy's attorney.