Miltos Manetas on #AssangePower and the Condition Assange Project

Artist Miltos Manetas reflects on his long-term project #AssangePower, which involves painting a portrait of Julian Assange for each day of his imprisonment. Assange was arrested on April 11, 2019, and released on June 24, 2024, after 1,901 days. In April 2021, Assange contacted Manetas from prison to create his first NFT, leading to Censored.art, a platform based on the concept 'This idea cannot be erased,' developed with Massimo Sterpi. The NFT 'Censored.art Clock' was sold for 54 million dollars in Ethereum, with proceeds going to Assange's defense. Manetas has painted and donated 300 portraits, with 1,601 remaining. The Condition Assange project has been exhibited at Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Rome (2020), IKOB Museum in Eupen, Belgium (2021), MOMus in Thessaloniki, Greece (2021), the 7th Internet Pavilion at the 58th Venice Biennale, and galleries IFAC Athens (2022), CollAge & Spaghetto Silo in Todi (2023), and WopArt fair (2023). It includes 111 NFTs with music by Howie B and has appeared on the cover of La Lettura di Corriere della Sera and Le Monde Diplomatique.