Greek Artist Sends Pro-Freedom Message with Assange NFT Drop

Esteemed artist Miltos Manetas will tokenise 50% of his Julian Assange portraits, with the goal of raising awareness for the imprisoned activist. To further cement the blockchain connection, proceeds of the NFT drop will enter a DAO that forms part of the Venice Biennale Festival’s Internet Pavilion, a tech tent founded by Manetas in 2009. Named This Cannot Be Erased, the special collection of 111 NFTs will grant buyers access to one-of-one digital versions of hand-painted portraits created by Manetas over the last two years. The collection will be divided into three phases during which 37 tokens are to be minted on the Materia blockchain, starting June 23. This year’s Venice Biennale, now in its 59th year, runs from April 23 to November 27. While the majority of tents at the festival are reserved for countries, the Internet Pavilion is dedicated to Assange under the theme “AIIA – Assange is Internet Internet is Assange.” Manetas Aims to Leverage #AssangePower This Cannot Be Erased was produced by Manetas with support from long-time collaborator Howie B, a British composer who scored the original Internet Pavilion event thirteen years ago. Back then, Manetas and curator Jan Aman stirred controversy by inviting a number of people involved with activist website The Pirate Bay to Venice to inaugurate the Embassy of Piracy. The latest collection develops Manetas’ interest in freedom in the internet age, with the artist having cont...