on november 18th, the spanish government officially
presented miquel barceló's latest art installation in the
UN's palace of nations in geneva. the controversial work
of art is a massive sculptural installation located on the
domed ceiling of the building's newly created human rights
and alliance of civilizations chamber. the work consists
of multi-coloured stalactite forms that appear to be
dripping from the ceiling. however controversy over
how the work was paid for has overshadowed its
artistic significance.
the project was introduced by the spanish organization
ONUART, which was established in 2007 to promote
dialogue, through the use of spanish contemporary arts
to create understanding between cultures and societies
and to foster multilateralism at the UN in geneva.
ONUART is a non-profit organization that receives public
and private funding. ONUART commissioned miquel
barceló to create the ceiling painting and paid for
much of its cost. barceló began installing the piece in september 2007.
inspiration
miquel barceló's work often features natural elements
and imagery but the chamber's ceiling takes this idea
literally by recreating the natural stalactite forms,
albeit through the artist's lens. barceló has revealed that
the concept for the project came to him while he was in
africa. at the unveiling barceló explained, 'on a day of
immense heat in the middle of the sahel desert, I recall
with vivacity the mirage of an image of the world dripping toward the sky'. the vivid idea later took shape as he
planned out the work.
execution
while the concept of the work was solely barceló's,
the project's scale demanded assistance. to begin with, construction crews demolished the chamber's existing
ceiling and replaced it with a newly designed version
that could support the weight of the sculpture. barceló
and a team of engineers and architects created this new
elliptic domed ceiling that is made from extra-strength aluminium. once in place barceló and his team of 20
assistants began construction of the sculpture.
the work began by building a raised floor that allowed the
team to work closer to the high ceiling. then a plaster substance was applied to the ceiling in a variety of ways
with a special consistency that created the cave-like
forms. barceló consulted with particle science
laboratories to ensure this mixture was the correct consistency. this material was mostly applied by hand
but also using non-traditional tools like paintball guns.
once the entire ceiling was covered in the plaster and
all the dripping forms were complete, the ceiling was
allowed to set.
35 tons of paint was then brought onto the sight to
apply to the artwork. the paints used were made with
special pigments sourced from all over the world.
the paints were applied to the ceiling with special spray
tools, as well as common objects like brooms for
touch-ups. a series of different colours were applied to
the ceiling. red, green, yellow, blue and almost every
colour conceivable was applied to the ceiling as if the
paints had exploded onto it. this multi-coloured layer
was allowed to dry and the second coat was applied.
unlike the vibrant hues of the first coat, the second on
used only a single greyish blue tone. furthermore,
the second coat was applied form only one direction.
because only one side was exposed to the directional
spray, the other side was left bare, revealing the multi
coloured first layer. barceló has used this directional
painting technique in his artwork for almost 20 years.
final
after 13 months of work the ceiling of the UN chamber
was complete. the ceiling's total area measures a
whopping 4,600 square feet and is completely covered
in the special plaster and paint. the work's size is so
expansive that it is impossible to see it in its entirety.
because the sculpture is so large, viewers are forced
to circle around the room. as they move around the
room and the sculpture the directional painting technique comes into play. the piece's appearance alters
depending on the viewer's perspective in the room.
for example, the piece may appear predominately grey
looking from one location, while from another it may
appear multi-coloured.
the direction painting technique is perhaps the most
symbolic aspect of barceló's sculpture. for starters,
the work's multi-coloured appearance can be read as
a very literal parallel to the multi-cultural nature of the
world and the UN. in addition, the fact that the work
cannot be properly understood from any one perspective alludes to the chamber's function. like the issues
discussed in the UN, altering one's perspective can
affect your viewpoint.
at the unveiling on novmeber 18th, barceló gave a short speech in french, catalan and castilian. in this talk he
revealed his main sources of inspiration for the
installation's appearance: a cave and the sea.
he explained that the piece was executed to combine
the two simultaneously. barceló further explained,
'the cave is a metaphor for the agora, the first meeting
place of humans, the big african tree under which to
sit to talk, and the only possible future: dialogue,
human rights'.
the critical reaction to the piece has largely been positive.
at the unveiling the UN secretary-general ban ki-moon
gave the work high praise, thanking barceló for putting
his 'unique talents to work in service of the world.'
he later added, 'the artwork you have created for this
room is innovative and radiant, i have no doubt that
people will come to see it whether they have business
here or not.' this impression was shared by many of
the dignitaries in attendance, all of who stared up at
the chamber's ceiling, admiring barceló's sculpture.
in reaction, some members of the press even likened
the work to the '21st century sistine chapel'. however
the controversy surrounding the pieces' financing has severally overshadowed the installation itself.
controversy
ONUART was the project's key financer, giving 60%
of the funding from its member spanish corporations
and banks. the spanish government provided the other
40% of the project's funding, which had a total budget
of 25.4 million USD. this budget went to fund the artwork
as well as the construction cost to renovate the
chamber and upgrade it with the latest technology.
the main cause for the controversy was the origin of
the money given by the spanish government. the money
came from the spanish foreign ministry branch of the government. the ministry took some of the 633,000 USD
from a budget for overseas development aid and
international organizations like the united nations.
this ignited fire among spain's political right, who argued
the money was supposed to be used to alleviate poverty
and help health care in poorer parts of the world.
in response, the ministry has insisted that the funding
for barceló's work was separate.
the ongoing argument continues to enrage the right,
who have even discussed in the issue at the country's parliament. the spanish media is also pushing for more transparency by the government, urging them to prove
the money was properly used.
while most contemporary artwork ignites debate for its
radical ideas or forms, barceló's work has created
a different kind of stir. while the project's funding continues
to create controversy, one hopes the politicians will stop bickering so that barceló's artwork can once again be
the focus.
miquel barceló
miquel barceló is a spanish painter born in 1957 in felanitx
on the mediterranean island majorca. barceló studied art
at gh barcelona and began exhibiting his art in the
mid-1970's. his first major introduction to the international
art scene was at documenta 7 in 1982. he has had major
solo exhibitions at the world's top galleries and museums
and will represent spain during the 2009 venice art
biennale. his work spans a wide variety of mediums and styles, but he is best known for his paintings, sculpture
and ceramics. prior to the UN commission, barceló's
largest work was a six-year project in the cathedral of
palma de majorca. for the project, the artist covered
the 14th century cathedral in cracked mud, dead fish
and human skulls. barceló's innovative artistic approach
has made him one of spain's most important
contemporary artists and a leading figure on the
international stage. miquel barceló lives and works in
majorca, paris and mali.
links
http://www.miquelbarcelo.org
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© ONUART - foto agustí y antonia torres
© ONUART - foto agustí y antonia torres
© ONUART - foto agustí y antonia torres
© ONUART - foto agustí y antonia torres
© ONUART - foto agustí y antonia torres
© ONUART - foto agustí y antonia torres
© ONUART - foto agustí y antonia torres
reuters/denis balibouse (courtesy of the artist)
UN photo/jean-marc ferre
reuters/denis balibouse (courtesy of the artist)
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