Despite his blindness—or because of it—Johann König was perceived as the wunderkind disruptor of the Berlin art scene. His breakthrough work as a gallerist, unveiled when he was just 21, was a sculpture by the artist Jeppe Hein of a motorized metal ball which, powered by its own irresistible energy, steadily destroyed the walls of the gallery that housed it. Say what you like about contemporary art, but it does throw up some rather pleasing metaphors.
On August 31 of last year, at the height of the art world’s busy, boozy summer season, Die Zeit, one of Germany’s foremost newspapers, published a slew of stinging #MeToo allegations about König and his past conduct. The accusations came from 10 women and centered primarily on König’s behavior at, and around, various art-world parties in 2017.
