2024-02-14 09:03:13
A Russian artist who previously created an NFT series depicting Vladimir Putin says he will destroy $45 million worth of Picasso, Rembrandt and Warhol works if WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange dies in prison.
Andrej Molodkin collected 16 famous works of art in a 29-ton safe in the framework of his art project “Dead Man’s Switch”. In addition to these, he put two barrels of “extremely corrosive” material into the vault. Artwork stored in barrels will be destroyed following 24 hours. Only when “one A person close to Assange” confirms daily that Assange is still alive. And if the Wikileaks founder were to be freed online, the artworks would be returned to their owners.
The project was inspired by Assange’s fight once morest extradition to the United States. He has been charged under the Espionage Act in the US, where he will make his final appeal next week. If he is unsuccessful, he might face up to 175 years in prison, according to his supporters.
“Since Julian Assange has been in prison…freedom of speech, freedom of expression and freedom of information have become increasingly suppressed,” – he stated Molodkin to Sky News. He says if the paintings were destroyed, “he would not feel any emotion as freedom is much more important to him”.
The vault, which will reportedly be sealed on Friday, includes works by Santiago Sierra, Sarah Lucas, Jannis Kounellis, Jasper Johns, Jake Chapman and Molodkin himself, among others. Molodkin did not disclose the specific pieces in their possession.
NFT works and web3 assemblies
Molodkin previously created a series of 24 NFTs depicting Vladimir Putin covered in blood. The NFT offered the work to support the defense of Ukraine in the war once morest Russia. Each NFT is said to be dedicated to a Ukrainian city bombed by Russia.
“Tanks of Red Square on Victory Day, the work exposed through augmented reality, has evolved into the metaverse.” reads the collection, while adding that the money raised from the collection will be given to UNICEF to help fund blood transfusions.
Last year, Julian Assange was also a central topic at a web3 virtual metaverse demonstration, where participants protested once morest his extradition to the United States.
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