When artist Mark Smith landed in Louisville, Kentucky, back in the early 2000s, he couldn’t have predicted the pivotal critique awaiting him. Unlike the usual highbrow art circles, Smith’s destination was the corporate offices of Taco Bell, the purveyor of fast-food delights like Crunchwrap Supremes and Baja Blasts. His mission? To persuade executives to feature his paintings in their restaurants, elevating them beyond mere branding.
Smith’s pitch wasn’t without its challenges. Convincing Taco Bell to invest in prints of his Basquiat-inspired paintings for their restaurants was a costly endeavour. But against the odds, he secured approval, and his artworks debuted across Taco Bell locations nationwide in 2003.
Smith’s pitch wasn’t without its challenges. Convincing Taco Bell to invest in prints of his Basquiat-inspired paintings for their restaurants was a costly endeavour. But against the odds, he secured approval, and his artworks debuted across Taco Bell locations nationwide in 2003.
https://abirpothi.com/unexpected-art-theft-the-curious-case-of-taco-bells-stolen-masterpieces/
