Frida Kahlo's 1944 Work 'Ominous Ghosts' Burned
Mexican Authorities: "Destruction of Cultural Heritage Is a Crime... Under Investigation"
On August 31 (local time), the Latin American Art Museum (MALBA) in Buenos Aires, Argentina, exhibited "Diego and I," a representative work by the famous Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. The photo is an archival image. [Image source=EPA Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] A cryptocurrency entrepreneur in the United States has sparked controversy by revealing that he burned the original painting of famous Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.
According to foreign media including the art-specialized outlet ArtNews on the 30th of last month (local time), Mexican authorities are investigating the act by Mart?n Mobarak, CEO of blockchain technology company Frida.NFT, on suspicion that it may have violated current laws protecting cultural heritage.
Mobarak's act of burning took place at a private event held on July 30th at a mansion in Miami, Florida. At the event, he burned the work "Fantasmones Siniestros (Ominous Ghosts)" by the famous Mexican artist Frida Kahlo in front of about 200 invited guests. A video posted on YouTube captured the scene where the painting (23cm wide by 15cm high), placed in a large martini glass, was instantly consumed by flames, leaving only ashes.
Fantasmones Siniestros is a painting Frida Kahlo created in 1944 using watercolors on both sides of a diary page. The original painting is known to be valued at $10 million (approximately 14.38 billion KRW).
Currently, Mobarak is creating 10,000 non-fungible tokens (NFTs) of high-resolution digital versions of this painting and selling them in limited quantities. Transactions are conducted using the cryptocurrency Ethereum, with each NFT priced at 3 Ethereum, which is about $4,011 (approximately 5.77 million KRW).
Regarding this, Frida.NFT stated, "We burned a rare artwork to give hope to unfortunate people around the world, including unhappy and sick children and women," adding, "This is to bring innovation to art, NFTs, and the healthcare sector."
They further added, "Frida Kahlo has become an immortal existence in the form of NFTs," and "Her art has been reborn as donations that can continue to grow forever."
However, the authenticity of the artwork burned by Mobarak is reportedly still unconfirmed.
According to the U.S. media Vice.com, Mobarak claimed that he purchased Fantasmones Siniestros from a private collector in 2015 and received an appraisal from an art dealer in Mexico City confirming its authenticity.
However, Mary-Ann Martin, a world-renowned Latin American art dealer, told Vice.com that she sold the artwork. She said, "I sold this work to a foundation and a private collector in 2004 and 2013 respectively, but I have never dealt with Mobarak."
James Alls, a senior lecturer in art at Wellesley College, also stated, "Mobarak destroyed the very evidence that could determine whether it was genuine or not by burning it," making it impossible to comment on the painting's authenticity, according to the media.
Meanwhile, Mexican authorities are reportedly investigating the case on the grounds that Mobarak committed a criminal act. Mexican federal law defines the intentional destruction of major cultural assets such as artworks as a crime. The National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature (INBAL) of Mexico issued a statement saying, "We are collecting all necessary information to confirm whether the original was destroyed or a replica."
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