The Art Institute of Chicago director and president, James Rondeau, has taken a temporary leave amidst a peculiar incident on an international flight. According to a Chicago Sun-Times report, Rondeau is being investigated after he allegedly stripped off his clothes on a United Airlines flight to Germany last month.
Rondeau, who has helmed the institute since 2016, purportedly drank alcohol and took prescription medication before an April 18th flight. This led to police being called to the aircraft upon its arrival in Munich. "The Art Institute takes this very seriously and has opened an independent investigation into the incident to gather all available information," a spokesperson for the museum conveyed in a statement obtained by CBS News.
The celebrated director, who boasts a robust salary exceeding $1 million per year, according to CBS News, has been a part of the Art Institute since 1998. His career progressed from an associate curator of contemporary art to leading two of the museum's curatorial departments.
Rondeau's representatives have been silent so far, with no response to requests for comment on the matter. Meanwhile, Institute officials are holding meetings to decide how best to proceed in the wake of Rondeau’s unexpected attempt to fully relish his transatlantic journey.
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