Russian-born artist Andrei Molodkin, who lives in France, told the TV channel: WeatherHe said that he collected the paintings of famous artists in a huge safe and set up a mechanism to destroy them with acid if WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was not released. According to him, the 29-ton safe contains 16 works of art with a total value of more than $45 million.
Inside the safe are the paintings, as well as a pneumatic pump that binds the barrels together with acid powder, and a catalyst that can cause a reaction that could destroy the contents of the safe.
The artist also pointed out that in the modern age, the destruction of art has become a bigger taboo than the destruction of human life. He emphasized that Assange’s situation in prison shows that freedom of expression and information is being suppressed.
According to Sky News, the safe contains works by Pablo Picasso, Rembrandt, Andy Warhol, Robert Reischenberg, as well as works by Molodkin. The safe will be sealed on Friday and placed in the artist’s studio in the south of France, but Molodkin plans to transfer it to a museum.
The initiator of the action talked about the mechanism for irreversible destruction of images, activated by a countdown timer. It needs to be rebooted every day to prevent the worst from happening. According to the artist, the timer will be activated by someone close to Assange until he is released.
If the founder of WikiLeaks is released, the paintings will be returned to their owners. One of the owners of Giampaolo Abbondio gallery confirmed that one of Picasso’s works was transferred to Molodkin’s safe.
The other day, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange filed Objection to extradition from England to the USA. Gareth Peirce, a senior partner at law firm Birnberg Peirce & Partners who represents Assange, said two appeals had been lodged with the UK Supreme Court on Thursday to challenge his extradition. The court now needs to decide whether to hear the objections.
Also, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador statedIf WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is extradited to the USA and convicted, a campaign will be launched to demolish the Statue of Liberty in New York.
Former CIA programmer and WikiLeaks whistleblower Joshua Schulte was sentenced He was sentenced to 40 years in prison in the United States for various crimes, including espionage, possession of child pornography, and contempt of court.
Previously Zakharova compared Gershkovich and Assange.