Director of the Chicago Museum who is under investigation after the plane incident
James Rondeau, chairman and director of the Chicago Academy of Art, has voluntarily left the museum after an incident on a plane to Germany last month.
During the April 18 incident, initially reported by CBS News, police were summoned to United Airlines Flight 953 after landing in Munich from Chicago, after reports that Rondo took off his clothes. The CBS reported that the incident happened after he drank alcohol and took prescription medication.
A spokeswoman for the Academy of Arts confirmed on Saturday that the report was accurate and Rondeau was on leave from get off work. “The Academy of Arts takes this very seriously and has conducted an independent investigation into the incident to collect all available information,” the museum said in a statement.
Rondo did not respond to a request for comment.
Founded in 1879, the Art Institute is one of the country’s leading museums, with an operating budget of $120 million and a full-time staff of about 600. Visitors come from all over the world to view its masterpieces, including George Seurat’s, “A Sunday on La Grande Jatte,” Edward Hopper’s “Nighthawks,” Paul Cézanne’s “The Bathers” and “The Bedroom” by Vincent van Gogh.
Last fall, the museum announced trustee Aaron I.
According to recent tax records, Rondeau, who had a total salary of more than $1 million, was appointed chairman and curator of the Institute’s Modern and Modern Art in 2016. He has been a major supporter of integrating the work of women and artists of color into the series.
“This variety and balance is at the heart of our mission. We are able to use more names while introducing new works and providing a broader perspective on contemporary art,” Rondo told The Times in 2022.
