Are These Lost Malevich Masterpieces—or $190 Million Fakes?
An exhibition at the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Bucharest (MNAC) features three purportedly long-lost paintings by Kazimir Malevich, valued between $160 million and $190 million. The works, loaned by Israeli businessman Yaniv Cohen, were allegedly stored under the mattress of his grandmother-in-law, Eva Levando, for decades. However, Ukrainian-American art historian Konstantin Akinsha has publicly questioned their authenticity, citing incomplete provenance and a lack of consensus from international experts. The museum has faced criticism for including the paintings without additional scholarly analysis in the show "Kazimir Malevich: Outliving History," curated by Mariana Dragu and sponsored by a dental clinic owned by Cohen.
