"World Peace" painting unveiled

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-12-19 10:20

Internationally acclaimed artist Huang Yongyu's massive painting "World Peace" was officially unveiled Monday at the United Nations Compound in Beijing.

Artist Huang Yongyu unveil his massive painting "World Peace" at the United Nations Compound in Beijing December 18,2006.[Xinhua]

Donated by the artist to the United Nations office in China, the canvas will remind some viewers of Picasso's Guernica which hangs at the entrance to the UN Security Council Chambers in New York.

"It is a call to commit to the ideals of peace and development, " said Khalid Malik, United Nations Resident Coordinator in China, at the unveiling ceremony. "The message of this extraordinary painting represents the very principles the UN was founded upon, and the message continues to resonate today. A commitment to peace is a commitment to human development and security," he added.

Artist Huang Yongyu's massive painting "World Peace" was unveiled at the United Nations Compound in Beijing December 18,2006.[Xinhua]

Approximately 2 by 3 meters, the painting shows cranes swooping down over lotus flowers and is inscribed with a text in Chinese characters which reads: "Let no one in the world be left in hunger or fear. No hunger. Let the birds and flowers of peace bring prosperity to people everywhere."

"Through their work, artists are powerful spokespeople for the values of the UN. The painting communicates empathy and a political commitment to change, and is a vibrant reminder that humanity and nature are always intertwined," said Malik.

"World Peace" will be a valuable addition to the art collection of the UN, which includes works such as the sculpture "Non-Violence" by Carl Frederik Reutersward -- a gun barrel tied in a knot -- and "Single Form" by Barbara Hepworth, which both stand outside the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Born in 1924, Huang Yongyu is one of China's most celebrated cultural icons. He paints swiftly using paintbrushes, branches, dry pulp and his fingers. In "World Peace" he combines Chinese ink and Western oil techniques.

A natural survivor as well as an internationally-known artist, Huang was forced to flee school during the Second World War and at 15 began selling his prints to newspapers and magazines to make a living. Seventy years later, his painting "World Peace" hangs on the wall of the UN Conference Room in China, a reminder of humanity's shared obligation to peace and to the eradication of hunger and poverty.

A special silver plaque presented to Huang Yongyu to acknowledge his contribution will be installed next to his painting. The plaque reads: "World Peace. By Huang Yongyu, eminent Chinese artist and poet dedicated to the promotion of world peace, development, and the work of the United Nations."