Artist Barcelo unveils USD 23 million ceiling at UN

GENEVA: Spanish artist Miquel Barcelo unveiled his lavish, USD 23 million ceiling painting at the United Nations today, a project that has evoked controversy over its hefty price tag.

In a ceremony with Spain's King Juan Carlos and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Barcelo gave the world its first glimpse of the 16,000-square-foot elliptical dome full of bright colours and torn aluminum. The most striking element may be the hundreds of small icicle-shaped pieces that dangle down from the ceiling.

"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 says. "Trees, dunes, donkeys, multicoloured beings flowing drop by drop."

The 50-year-old abstract artist used more than 100 tons of paint with pigments from all over the world. The ceiling took over a year to produce, and Barcelo worked with architects, engineers and even particle physics laboratories to develop the extra-strength aluminum for the dome.

But the project has come under fire, and not for its unconventional aesthetics.

The Spanish Foreign Ministry says the government is funding 40 per cent of the costs, with the rest footed by private-sector donors. Of the public money, USD 633,000 comes from a budget for overseas development aid and international organisations like the UN

Spain's conservative opposition Popular Party complained that this means money was diverted from projects to alleviate poverty and boost health care in poorer countries, but the ministry insists the funding for Barcelo's work was separate.