Mark Lombardi, a conceptual artist on the cusp of international success, had everything to live for. So why was the 48-year-old found dead, and his death ruled a suicide? Was it the ultimate conceptual art, an afterlife laugh at those who doubted his brilliance? He did, after all, carry business cards eerily portending "death defying acts of art and conspiracy." Or was he ultimately overwhelmed by the subject of his work: the financial networks connecting some of the most powerful and corrupt people on earth? His intricate drawings traced hot money, from Cold War funding to the heroin trade. But his most dogged scrutiny fell on the Bank of Credit and Commerce International, a global money laundry bankrolling fraudsters, smugglers, and CIA operations abroad. Since his death, Lombardi's masterwork on the rogue bank has been held at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Could it be responsible for his demise? The answer can only be found within Lombardi himself.
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Mark Lombardi, a conceptual artist on the cusp of international success, had everything to live for. So why was the 48-year-old found dead, and his death ruled a suicide? Was it the ultimate conceptual art, an afterlife laugh at those who doubted his brilliance? He did, after all, carry business cards eerily portending "death defying acts of art and conspiracy." Or was he ultimately overwhelmed by the subject of his work: the financial networks connecting some of the most powerful and corrupt people on earth? His intricate drawings traced hot money, from Cold War funding to the heroin trade. But his most dogged scrutiny fell on the Bank of Credit and Commerce International, a global money laundry bankrolling fraudsters, smugglers, and CIA operations abroad. Since his death, Lombardi's masterwork on the rogue bank has been held at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Could it be responsible for his demise? The answer can only be found within Lombardi himself.
Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/
Introducing The Illuminator: Art, Conspiracy and Madness
The Illuminator: Art, Conspiracy and Madness
2 minutes
1 year ago
Introducing The Illuminator: Art, Conspiracy and Madness
Mark Lombardi, an up-and-coming conceptual artist, had everything to live for. He was finally gaining attention for his elegant, intricate diagrams uncovering shadowy entities behind global money-laundering. It was an unusual case in the art world, a late bloomer who developed his style after 40, now experiencing the rapid ascent of a younger artist. So why was the 48-year-old found dead, and his death ruled a suicide?
It could be seen as the ultimate conceptual art, an afterlife laugh at those who doubted him. He did, after all, carry business cards eerily portending the future, with the tagline "death defying acts of art and conspiracy." Or was he ultimately overwhelmed by the subject of his work: the money trails connecting some of the most powerful and corrupt people on earth? His drawings traced hot money, from Cold War funding to the heroin trade. But his most dogged scrutiny fell on the Bank of Credit and Commerce International, which he called the "Bank of Crooks and Criminals." It began as a small Pakistani merchant bank in 1972 but evolved into a global money laundry, bankrolling fraudsters, smugglers, and corrupt foreign officials – as well as CIA operations abroad. It was shut down by regulators in 1991. Since his death, Lombardi's masterwork on the rogue bank has been held at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Could it be responsible for his demise? The answer can only be found within Lombardi himself.
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Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/
The Illuminator: Art, Conspiracy and Madness
Mark Lombardi, a conceptual artist on the cusp of international success, had everything to live for. So why was the 48-year-old found dead, and his death ruled a suicide? Was it the ultimate conceptual art, an afterlife laugh at those who doubted his brilliance? He did, after all, carry business cards eerily portending "death defying acts of art and conspiracy." Or was he ultimately overwhelmed by the subject of his work: the financial networks connecting some of the most powerful and corrupt people on earth? His intricate drawings traced hot money, from Cold War funding to the heroin trade. But his most dogged scrutiny fell on the Bank of Credit and Commerce International, a global money laundry bankrolling fraudsters, smugglers, and CIA operations abroad. Since his death, Lombardi's masterwork on the rogue bank has been held at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Could it be responsible for his demise? The answer can only be found within Lombardi himself.
Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/
