What's happened
The archive of Jim Sanborn's Kryptos sculpture, including unresolved cipher K4, was sold for $963,000. The buyer will meet Sanborn privately to discuss the sculpture's codes and artistic intent. The sale follows the discovery of Sanborn's original scrambled texts in Smithsonian papers, but the cipher remains unsolved.
What's behind the headline?
The sale of Sanborn's Kryptos archive highlights the enduring allure of cryptography and public engagement with art. The auction's success, despite the discovery of the original scrambled texts, underscores the persistent mystery surrounding K4. Sanborn's decision to sell the entire archive aims to entrust the cipher's stewardship to someone committed to maintaining its secrecy and engaging with followers. This move reflects a broader trend of art and cryptography intersecting with public curiosity and the desire for ongoing interaction. The auction also raises questions about the value of unresolved mysteries in art and the role of private collectors in preserving cultural enigmas. Ultimately, the sale ensures that the cipher's secrets will likely remain protected, while Sanborn's artistic legacy continues to intrigue and challenge enthusiasts worldwide.
What the papers say
The articles from NY Post, AP News, and The Independent all confirm the auction of Sanborn's Kryptos archive for $963,000, emphasizing the unresolved K4 cipher and the private meeting with the artist. The New York Times provides additional context on the auction's record-breaking bid of $770,000 for the solution to K4, highlighting the public's fascination with the sculpture's mystery. While all sources agree on the sale and the cipher's unresolved status, the NY Post and AP News detail Sanborn's long-term engagement with cryptanalysts and the near-discovery of the original scrambled texts in Smithsonian papers. The Times of Israel offers historical context on cryptography, comparing Enigma's wartime significance to the ongoing intrigue of Kryptos, though it is less focused on the auction specifics.
How we got here
Jim Sanborn's Kryptos sculpture, dedicated in 1990 at CIA headquarters, contains four encrypted messages. Three have been deciphered, but K4 has remained unsolved for decades. The artist's archive, including coding charts and documents, was auctioned after a near-discovery of the original scrambled texts in Smithsonian papers in September. Sanborn decided to sell the entire archive to ensure the cipher's secrets are preserved and continued engagement with cryptanalysts.
Go deeper
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Kryptos is a sculpture by the American artist Jim Sanborn located on the grounds of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) headquarters, the George Bush Center for Intelligence in Langley, Virginia.
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