No Nein, #5 (Lost Piece)

No Nein. #5 (Lost Piece)

Medium: Mixed media on wood panel, 20" x 20"

This piece from the Chanel “No Nein” series was a mixed media work on a 20" x 20" wood panel. The artwork featured a hand-painted bottle of Chanel No "N-E-I-N," drawing a parallel to propaganda and the denial of truth through history and its own demise. Embedded in the neck of the bottle was a gemstone that resembled a diamond, symbolizing the allure of luxury juxtaposed with the darkness of Chanel’s Nazi history.

The label on the bottle bears the quote, "Effective propaganda harps on slogans," a chilling reminder of the manipulative strategies employed by the Nazi regime, echoing words attributed to key figures in their propaganda machine. The quote, combined with the number "F-7124" at the top of the painting—Chanel’s Nazi spy code—adds layers of unsettling history to the glamorous façade.

This painting, tragically lost due to negligence on the part of Oditto Gallery in Palm Beach in the care of Celeste Jones, was to be sold at $12,000. Despite multiple attempts for restitution over 2 years, the piece has become emblematic of a different kind of propaganda: one that obfuscates responsibility and accountability.

The image was outfitted with a NFC chip linking back to this page.