An artist says he will destroy over £35 million worth of art, including works by Picasso, Rembrandt and Andy Warhol if jailed Wikileaks founder Julian Assange dies in prison.
Andrei Molodkin, a Russian artist based in the south of France, says he has put masterpieces donated to him in a safe connected to two barrels, with one containing an acid powder and an accelerator in the other that can create a reaction strong enough to destroy its contents, the artist told Sky News.
The project, called “Dead Man’s Switch”, is backed by Assange’s wife, Stella.
Assange is currently in jail in the UK as he awaits his final appeal over extradition to the US to face charges under the Espionage Act, with a High Court hearing set for later this month.
The Wikileaks founder, who denies any wrongdoing, is accused of obtaining and disclosing US national defense information.
READ MORE: Europe facing ‘painful reality’ after Trump NATO comments spark Russia war fears
Molodkin says a 24-hour timer will be hooked up to the safe which has to be reset daily or it will release the contents of the two barrels to destroy the art inside.
The timer, he said, will only be reset after confirmation from someone “close to Assange” that he is alive.
Milan art gallery owner Giampaolo Abbondio, told the outlet that he rejected Molodkin’s idea at first but has since donated a piece by Spanish master Pablo Picasso to the project.
“It’s more relevant for the world to have one Assange than an extra Picasso, so I decided to accept [Molodkin’s offer to participate]” he said. “Let’s say I’m an optimist and I’ve lent it.
“If Assange goes free, I can have it back. Picasso can vary from 10,000 to 100 million, but I don’t think it’s the number of zeros that makes it more relevant when we’re talking about a human life.”
