Art Institute of Chicago In Turmoil After President Allegedly Strips on Plane

The growing epidemic of unruly air travelers hit the art world this weekend, when news broke that James Rondeau, the president and director of the Art Institute of Chicago allegedly disrobed in the middle of a flight from the Windy City to Germany.

Unnamed sources informed CBS News that Rondeau, who has led the museum for nearly a decade, allegedly “drank alcohol and took prescription medication,” then removed his clothing while on United Airlines flight 953, which traveled from Chicago to Munich on April 18. Police were called to the flight after it landed in Munich, reports the New York Times.

Via statement, the Art Institute of Chicago confirmed the report, saying that Rondeau has returned to Chicago, and is currently on voluntary leave from his position. “The Art Institute takes this very seriously and has opened an independent investigation into the incident to gather all available information,” the statement reads. “Art Institute leadership is meeting to determine next steps.”

James Rondeau, Director of the Art Institute of Chicago stands next to the iconic painting American Gothic, 1930 by Grant Wood, as it is installed at the Royal Academy of Arts ahead of the exhibition “America After The Fall: Painting in the 1930s” at Royal Academy of Arts on February 13, 2017 in London, England.

Tristan Fewings/Getty Images

Founded in 1879, the Art Institute of Chicago is one of the largest art museums in the US, with over 300,000 pieces in its permanent collection and over 30 special exhibitions a year. It’s home to works such as Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks, Georges Seurat’s A Sunday on La Grande Jatte (the inspiration for Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park With George), and—contrary to the claims of President Donald Trump—Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s Two Sisters (On the Terrace).

Rondeau was appointed as museum president and director in 2016, following the retirement of longtime leader Douglas Druick. He’s been at the Art Institute since 1998, first joining the organization as an associate curator of contemporary art. Art Institute tax records show he is paid over $1 million annually.

United Airlines has not responded to Vanity Fair’s request for comment, but the April 18 incident on flight 953 is but one in a growing number of reports of unruly air travelers. According to data from the Federal Aviation Administration, in-flight outbursts have sharply risen since 2019, prompting the agency to begin referring cases of passenger-related flight disruptions to the FBI. So far this year, the FAA has received 524 reports of unruly passengers, with 2,102 reported in 2024.