James Rondeau, the president and director of the Art Institute of Chicago, has taken leave from his role at the museum following reports of an incident on board a flight to Munich from Chicago last month.
Police were called to a United Airlines flight when it landed in Munich from Chicago on 18 April over reports that Rondeau had stripped off his clothes mid-flight. The incident reportedly occurred after Rondeau drank alcohol alongside prescription medication.
A spokesperson confirmed on Saturday that the report was accurate and that Rondeau was on leave from work. ‘The Art Institute takes this very seriously and has opened an independent investigation into the incident to gather all available information,’ the museum said in a statement.
Founded in 1879, the Art Institute has an operating budget of $120 million and full-time staff of 600. It is one of the last remaining museums in the United States to also operate its own art school. Rondeau joined the museum in 1998 and entered his current role in 2016.
