Russian artist promises to pour acid on Picasso’s paintings if Julian Assange dies in prison

Famous Russian artist Andrei Molodkin said that he “held $45 million worth of art hostage to save Julian Assange.” He had promised to dissolve masterpieces by Picasso, Warhol and Rembrandt in acid in a 29-ton safe if the founder of WikiLeaks died in prison. And he will return them only if Assange is released. The Daily Mail writes about this.

Andrei Molodkin claims to have collected 16 works of art he estimates are worth $45 million, and is now threatening to destroy them if his demands are not met.

He said the artworks were stored in a 29-tonne vault containing an “extremely corrosive” substance and would only be returned to their owners if Assange was released from prison.

The WikiLeaks founder is awaiting the outcome of his latest appeal against extradition to the United States, where he faces espionage charges and up to 175 years in prison.

The controversial artist, who supports its release, claims that if the Dead Man’s Key timer is not reset every day and the safe is locked on Friday, the contents of the safe will be completely destroyed.

According to Molodkin, the 24-hour countdown timer will only reset if “someone close” to Assange confirms daily that he is still alive.

Molodkin made the statement amid concerns from Assange’s supporters that Assange’s health was deteriorating, and his lawyer said his “life would be at risk” if he was extradited.

“In these catastrophic times, with so many wars, destroying art is a much greater taboo than destroying a human life. Since Julian Assange went to prison… freedom of expression, freedom of expression, freedom of information has become greater and greater. More “Now this feeling has become even more intense in me,” said the very suppressed Artist.

He declined to say what works of art were in the safe, but said it contained his own works, as well as works by Picasso, Rembrandt, Warhol, Jasper Johns, Jannis Kounellis, Robert Rauschenberg, Sarah Lucas and other artists.

Additionally, the owner of a gallery in Milan claims that he gave Molodkin a Picasso painting and signed a confidentiality agreement as to which one it was.

Giampaolo Abbondio, who has known Molodkin for many years, said that he initially refused to give the painting, but later agreed.

“This made me think that one more Assange was more important to the world than one more Picasso, so I decided to accept,” he said.

Molodkin previously made headlines after dousing copies of Prince Harry’s memoir Spare with fake blood to protest that he had killed Taliban fighters while serving in Afghanistan.

Who is Andrey Molodkin

Molodkin is a sculptor and artist. He is a former Soviet Army soldier, participant in anti-war protests and Russian dissident, currently living in the south of France.

He had previously painted a huge portrait of Vladimir Putin with blood donated by Ukrainian soldiers and said he could not return to Russia for fear the Putin regime would imprison him for his work.

Assange’s wife Stella supports the Dead Man’s Key project, which Molodkin describes as a “work of art”.

“The political imprisonment of Julian is a real act of terrorism against democracy. The real targets here are not only Julian Assange, but the future of the people’s right to know and the ability to hold the government to account. If democracy wins, art will survive, and so will Julian’s life,” he said.

Molodkin is said to have hidden the safe in his workshop in the south of France before moving it to a secret location.

The WikiLeaks founder has been held at HMP Belmarsh maximum security prison in south-east London since April 2019 after being forcibly removed from the Ecuadorian embassy after his seven-year grant of diplomatic asylum was revoked.

Public hearings are scheduled for February 20 and 21, and are considered Assange’s last chance to avoid extradition to the United States.

Assange married his lawyer Stella Morris in 2022. Stella wore a wedding dress by British designer Vivienne Westwood.