“I had to do something drastic to get attention,” businessman Martin Mobarak told the New York Times.
In a promotional stunt that arguably went too far, Mobarak burned a Frida Kahlo drawing in front of a crowd at a launch party for Frida.NFT to promote the NFT line. The drawing in question was Kahlo’s 1944 Fantasmones Siniestros, which was worth $10 million. Mobarak burned the priceless work of art in a martini glass as a Mariachi band played ‘Cielito Lindo’, appalling art fans everywhere. Now, Mobarak may be facing charges.
Fine Art and NFTs
The world of fine art is no stranger to NFTs. Several museums, including The British Museum, have already launched NFTs. Even Rembrandt has made his NFT debut with his iconic painting, The Night Watch, being divided into 8000 non-fungible tokens. Luckily, however, the Rembrandt NFT creators didn’t feel the need to destroy the 1642 masterpiece to drum up some press.
Fantasmones Siniestros was created using a combination of crayon, ink and pencil in 1944 and featured an assortment of dreamlike creatures. Mobarak hopes the stunt will lead to the sale of 10,000 Frida NFTs. However, according to the New York Times, only four have sold thus far.
Some speculate that the drawing Mobarak set on fire may have been a fake, despite his insistence that it was the original. He says he purchased the original back in 2015 and a letter of authenticity for the artwork is showcased on the FridaNFT website.
Mubarak is currently under investigation by the Mexican National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature. If it turns out he did burn the original, he’ll be facing federal charges and potentially decades of imprisonment.
However, Mobarak believes Frida would be happy about the Frida.NFT project.
“People may see it as I destroyed it. But I didn’t. This way, I am bringing it to the world,” Mobarak said. “I am letting everybody see it. I think it does more good for the world and makes a statement rather than just sitting in someone’s private collection.”
Jack Brassell is a freelance journalist and aspiring novelist. Jack is a self-proclaimed nerd with a lifelong passion for storytelling. As an author, Jack writes mostly horror and young adult fantasy. Also an avid gamer, she works as the lead news editor at Hardcore Droid. When she isn't writing or playing games, she can often be found binge-watching Parks & Rec or The Office, proudly considering herself to be a cross between Leslie Knope and Pam Beasley.
