Media reports have circulated that a Russian artist is planning to destroy art pieces valued at over 45 million US dollars (approximately 42 million euros) should Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, pass away in prison.
According to numerous consistent media stories, Andrei Molodkin is preparing to destroy around 16 artworks, including pieces by Picasso, Rembrandt, and Warhol. Molodkin has reportedly added acid and a timing device to a safe in his studio in southern France.
“Dead Man’s Switch”
The art pieces will be secured in the safe this Friday. Molodkin’s project, called “Dead Man’s Switch,” is meant to highlight the concept that “destroying art is a greater taboo than destroying a person’s life,” as Sky News quoted him. The artworks were provided by wealthy collectors, according to reports, but the specific pieces were not disclosed. The owners will reclaim them if Assange is released.
Next week, Assange is scheduled for possibly his final court appearance in the UK before potential extradition to the US. The 52-year-old has been in a legal battle with the British government for years and has been detained at London’s HMP Belmarsh maximum security prison since April 2019. Before this, he had avoided law enforcement for many years while residing in the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
The United States’ justice department intends to try him on espionage charges. If found guilty, he could face a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison. Assange is alleged to have collaborated with whistleblower Chelsea Manning to steal and release confidential information pertaining to US military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, potentially putting US informants’ lives at risk. His supporters, however, view him as a journalist who has unveiled war crimes.
Stella Assange, Assange’s wife, has been advocating for his release for years. She has shared multiple posts on X (formerly Twitter) about Molodkin’s project, which her husband is aware of and supports. She described it as an “artistic shield” for him in an interview with the New Yorker.
