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/

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Episodes

Inside BCCI: The Bank of Crooks And Criminals

In this special bonus episode, we explore the BCCI financial scandal through the eyes of the journalists who exposed it. Bradley Hope, executive producer of The Illuminator, is joined in conversation by Larry Gurwin and Peter Truell, authors of False Profits: The Inside Story of BCCI, the World's Most Corrupt Financial Empire. Larry and Gurwin explain their investigation into BCCI—a global bank that catered to drug cartels, terrorists, and intelligence agencies—and how this extraordinary financi...

Dec 23, 2024•29 min•Season 1Ep. 7

Episode 6: Death Defying Acts

Mark’s ex-girlfriend Hilary can’t get hold of him. Haunted by their last conversation, she leaves messages on his answering machine, increasingly anxious about his whereabouts. When Mark’s mother calls her with the same concerns, Hilary knows something is very wrong. Her desperate search leads to a tragic discovery and a cascade of questions about the final days of Mark's life. On the surface, Mark was a groundbreaking artist who made a profound impact. But behind closed doors, he was plagued by...

Dec 16, 2024•29 min•Season 1Ep. 6

Episode 5: Black Bird

Mark Lombardi stands on the edge of international stardom. His intricate and controversial artworks have drawn the attention of some of New York’s most prestigious institutions – as well as shedding light on some of the world’s most corrupt people and institutions. Those closest to him are both thrilled by his success and worried for his safety. Mark, who previously brushed off his friends’ concerns, seems increasingly troubled. He’s working more intensely than ever, but behaving erratically. He...

Dec 09, 2024•30 min•Season 1Ep. 5

Episode 4: The Mother of All Bank Scandals

With his marriage spiraling under the strain of his obsessions, Mark returns to the cutthroat New York art scene. His friends are worried – even discourage the move – but Mark is resolute. Soon, it appears his decision is paying off. He is finally gaining the recognition he craves, leading to exhibitions at prestigious venues like the Drawing Center in Manhattan and the Pierogi 2000 gallery in Brooklyn. His art is celebrated for its visually arresting maps of power, and he begins work on what wi...

Dec 02, 2024•32 min•Season 1Ep. 4

Episode 3: A Whole Other Life

Mark Lombardi has met his match – a stunning blonde by the name of Day Barlow. When the couple marry at the Rothko Chapel in Houston, he feels optimistic, the future full of possibility. At first, Mark weathers the obstacles thrown at him – professionally and personally. But in the wake of the high-profile scandals like the Savings and Loans crisis and the Iran-Contra affair, he appears to fall down a rabbit hole of increasing intensity. As Mark Lombardi’s obsessions take hold, he delves deeper ...

Nov 25, 2024•32 min•Season 1Ep. 3

Episode 2: The Loss of Innocence

In the aftermath of 9/11, the FBI is scrambling to identify the perpetrators of the attacks. The investigation brings its agents to the door of the Whitney Museum of Art, where Mark Lombardi’s most significant work, BCCI-ICIC & FAB, is housed. For some time, it looked as if Mark’s career in art would amount to nothing at all. His galleries fail, he clashes with bosses, and leaves a prestigious post as an assistant curator. But when he takes a new job at Houston Public Library, Mark discovers...

Nov 18, 2024•30 min•Season 1Ep. 2

Episode 1: Angels and Devils

In March 2000, conceptual artist Mark Lombardi was on the cusp of something he’d always dreamed of. With two solo art shows complete, he was about to gain international recognition for his work. So why was the 48-year-old found dead in his New York apartment? Could Mark’s work have had something to do with his untimely death? His intricate line drawings blur the line between art and investigative journalism, revealing startling connections between political and financial power brokers around the...

Nov 11, 2024•29 min•Season 1Ep. 1

The Mysteries of Mark Lombardi: Connecting Art with Corruption

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? 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 about a bank called BCCI — a very large, very significant work of ...

Nov 04, 2024•14 min

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 ...

Oct 10, 2024•3 min

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