Australian artist Natascha Stellmach is claiming that she will smoke the ashes of the late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain in a spliff as part of an art exhibition. Kurt Cobain's ashes were stolen from Courtney Love in May. In a statement Stellmach claimed she had "acquired" the ashes, and would smoke them as part of the Set Me Free exhibition at Berlin's Wagner + Partner gallery.
The smoking of the ashes will take place at what is being billed as the "final act" of the exhibition, which climaxes on October 11.
Stellmach is claiming that the act will symobillically "set free" Cobain from the media circus.
The smoking will be one of various acts undertaken by artists as part of the exhibition involving the dead.
Danish artist Marco Evarissti plans to feed death row inmate Gene Hathorn to goldfish as part of the show.
The claim of ashes ownership has aroused suspicion among fans, who have posted messages online voicing scepticism that the remains are in fact those of the late singer/guitarist. Asked how she came to have Cobain's ashes, let alone smoke them, Stellmach told the magazine Artworld: "That's confidential and kind of magic. They came to me. And I am setting him free."