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 hanged and deemed suicidal? In this special pre-season bonus episode, Farah Halime speaks with contemporary art curator and museum director Lawrence Rinder to shed light on Mark Lombardi’s art and legacy. Lawrence was curator at The Whitney Museum in 2000 and acquired a Mark Lombardi piece called the BCCI, a very large, very significant work of art that can be described as elusive and metaphysical. It is this work of art the FBI asked to see after 9/11.The Illuminator: Art, Conspiracy and Madness is the story of a conceptual artist’s rise to fame whose brilliant genius had devastating consequences. Episode one of The Illuminator will be released on 11th November 2024, with new episodes out on Mondays. Don’t want to wait for the next episode? Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus for early release episodes and ad-free listening.