U.N. ARTWORK UNVEILED
22.11.08
It took Spanish artist Miquel Barcelo over a year and 100 tons of paint and pigments from all over the world to create this stunning work, which is valued at roughly 18 million euros (23 million US dollars). The installation is located on the ceiling of the Human Rights and Alliance of Civilizations Room, and has caused an immediate stir over how it was funded. Most of the money appears to have come from the Spanish government and private donors, but it appears that some of that money was supposed to go to international aid. Said one guy, “It’s a small price to pay for a dope-ass ceiling.”
I tend to agree.
Tags: Miquel Barcelo, U.N.
Category: Art, Design, People, Politics
Options: Mail this, Digg, del.icio.us
Get a promo code for Ugmonk Goods 
So fitting to resemble a cave ceiling… Very interesting indeed.
November 22, 11:22 am Lifter Baronfrom the BBC:
The artist recently revealed the inspiration behind his brightly coloured abstract.
November 22, 11:36 am Josh Holland“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,” Barcelo said.
“Trees, dunes, donkeys, multicoloured beings flowing drop by drop.”
I wonder how many starving children that 23 million US dollars could have saved?
November 22, 4:35 pm Speedmasteri wonder how many saved children it would take to make a roof that sweet.
and it may sound horrible, but you can’t just go in with a bag of money and save a couple of children and expect the problem to be solved, its like giving a dollar to a homelss guy, it makes you feel good and its a nice thing to do, but the guys still homeless.
November 22, 6:30 pm robSpeedmaster:
I wonder how many starving children you could save with the money that you spend on pets, travel, watches, and pens.
http://www.blogger.com/profile/10193689033214490178
Let us all not do another thing until each of the worlds starving children are saved.
November 22, 11:51 pm Mark[...] 人權和文明大廳的新面貌 [...]
November 23, 1:40 am 聯合國史上規模最大的藝術創作 | DTAP – de Taipei à ParisRather than judging each other — oh how quickly we highly-opinionated people get there — I’m curious Mark how you will fund the children, once we all stop buying things. You seem to suggest that the money will be there.
What do you understand about the global economy and how it works, that I don’t.
I’m curious to hear your own proposals about how we stop consuming one more thing, but have the money available to save the children. It seems that the current economic disruption in the global economy will make even less money available for the kids.
Or that Mark and I won’t have our own incomes impacted . . . that all we must do is reallocate our spending priorities. Speaking for myself, that’s a big error in your thinking.
In some ways, you’re getting your wish re our not spending. Not to worry . . . there will be far more pens sold in the world in 2009.
I believe the current global economy crisis is far, far more complicated than you suggest. So, an economics lesson, please, rather than finger-pointing. I would love a way out of this mess . . . one that saves the children.
BTW, I’m not defending American consumption, including my own. We’re a spoiled, arrogant lot.
Before you research my bio, too, let me save you the trouble. I’m even more frivolous than Mark. But I aspire to be more like you . . . at least in some ways.
Enlightenment, please . . . in economic terms, not moral ones. The kids won’t live on morality alone. Talk is cheap . . . the kids have heard it for decades. Sustainable change proposals are harder to come by.
And yours is?????
November 23, 5:44 am AnneSorry . . . far “fewer” pens sold.
November 23, 5:45 am AnneI don’t care how beautiful it is. It is STILL a waste of money. And how it was wasted is obscene!
November 23, 8:50 am vinieach breath you take is a waste of air, each dollar you spend is a waste.
just enjoy it. if you got a problem w/ money become a priest/nun and dedicate your life to better the life of humanity.
and I bet your large guts are also a waste of food for the kids.
November 23, 9:43 am hatetsk… tsk… tsk…
November 23, 9:48 am jugerasAnne:
My comment was an attempt as sarcasm, made in response to Speedmaster’s implication that we shouldn’t spend money on superfluous things until we’ve ended world hunger. I don’t mean to bully Speedmaster… this idea is not at all uncommon.
So, yes, they spent 23 million on an extraneous piece of art. However, each of us spends a proportionally equivalent amount on luxuries like coffee, alcohol, or gourmet food… far more on clothes, cars, or vacations, all with nothing to show for it. The only difference is that the UN will very likely see a return on their investment.
They could have used the money to feed perhaps half-a-million people for one month, but what about the following month? This project was undertaken with long-term goals in mind. I don’t think it’s totally implausible that this piece might generate enough interest over the next several years to actually turn a profit.
Would it have been more appropriate to feed starving Italian children than to pay Michelangelo’s fee? There always have been and always will be starving children. It shouldn’t stop the world from turning.
I’m not even sure that I like the piece, though I will reserve judgment until I’ve seen a better photo. I’m sure it’s impressive in person.
November 23, 4:09 pm MarkI think it’s important to note that the perceived value of the work probably isn’t what was paid for it. Also, it will result in lots of tourism dollars that will help offset the cost of the work over time and potentially become profitable for the U.N.
In the long run, it may end up being a better allocation of resources than dumping a chunk of money into immediate aid. I’m not out to crucify the Spanish government for wasting foreign aid money just yet.
Glad to see some discussion on here guys!
November 24, 8:30 am Josh Holland[...] notcot, joyengine, Life in the Fast Lane, Times [...]
November 24, 11:41 pm Because the world isn’t black and white « …thoroughly modern tilly…[...] Money well spent? The ceiling of the Human Rights and Alliance of Civilizations Room at the UN has been turned into a swirling malestrom of color by Spanish artist Miquel Barcelo, at a cost of some twenty-three million dollars. Some of that money was supposed to be aid for poor countries, but hey, “it’s a small price to pay for a dope-ass ceiling…” [...]
November 26, 9:52 am the nutshell paragraph » Blog Archive » The more things change in Afghanistan…[...] aid. Said one guy, “It’s a small price to pay for a dope-ass ceiling.” I tend to agree. – joyengine 30 November, 2008 0 Did you enjoy our post? Get our blog feed by Email or [...]
November 30, 10:38 am Color + Design Blog / Eclectic Color Roundup by COLOURlovers