From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Collection of gifts to the UN
The
United Nations Art Collection
is a collective group of
artworks
and historic objects donated as gifts to the
United Nations
by its member states, associations, or individuals. These artistic treasures and possessions, mostly in the form of “
sculptures
,
paintings
,
tapestries
and
mosaics
”, are representative “arts of nations” that are contained and exhibited within the confines of the
United Nations Headquarters
in
New York City
, United States, and other duty stations, making the UN and its international territories a "fine small museum".
[1]
[2]
Member states follow a protocol for presenting official gifts to the United Nations.
Procedures, speeches, and ceremonies, such as the unveiling of these gifts, are conducted and coordinated by the Protocol and Liaison Service. Ideally, every member nation can only present one offering, and member nations are responsible for the installation of the offered artifacts.
[2]
[3]
[4]
The official gifts to the United Nations by its member states epitomize the ideals, significance and values of the UN as an international organization.
[5]
Collection
[
edit
]
- In 1964, a 15 foot by 12 foot
stained glass
window by
Marc Chagall
entitled
Peace
was donated to the United Nations by its own staff members and by Chagall himself to commemorate
Dag Hammarskjold
, who served as
United Nations Secretary-General
from 1953 until his death in 1961.
[6]
The stained glass memorial contains numerous symbols representing love and peace themes.
[7]
- In 1952, a pair of
Fernand Leger
murals was installed in the
General Assembly Hall
.
[8]
- The
United Nations Security Council mural
, by
Per Krohg
, was also installed in 1952
- War and Peace
, two paintings by Brazilian artist
Candido Portinari
. It does not feature any weapons, but instead features the suffering of victims from war, which illustrates the barbarity of combat. The contrast between the elements of chaos and harmony show how important it is to maintain peace and attempt to end violent conflicts.
- In 1985, as a representative of the United States, then first lady
Nancy Reagan
presented a mosaic to the United Nations to celebrate the organization's 40th anniversary. The
Golden Rule
mosaic was a creation of
Venetian artists
and was based on a painting by
Norman Rockwell
. Depicting people of all races, religion, creed and hue, the mosaic imparts the message to "
do unto others as you would have them do unto you
".
[9]
- The
Japanese Peace Bell
was presented to the United Nations in June 1954 by the United Nations Association of
Japan
. It was cast from coins collected by people from 60 different countries including children, and housed in a structure resembling a
Shinto
shrine, made of cypress wood. The bell is rung twice a year: on the first day of Spring, at the Vernal Equinox, and on 21 September to coincide with the opening of the
General Assembly
.
[10]
- In 1959, a
bronze statue
promoting the slogan
Let Us Beat Swords into Plowshares
was donated by the
Soviet Union
to the United Nations. It was sculpted by
Evgeniy Vuchetich
to represent the human wish to end all wars by converting the weapons of death and destruction into peaceful and productive tools that are more beneficial to mankind.
[11]
- In 1966 a copy of the Nigerian artist
Ben Enwonwu
's sculpture
Anyanwu
was presented to the United Nations by the permanent representative of Nigeria to the United Nations, Chief
Simeon Adebo
, to Secretary-General
U Thant
. It is a representation of the
Igbo mythological
figure and earth goddess
Ani
.
[12]
It is cast from bronze and is 6 ft in height.
[12]
- In 1996,
Sphere Within Sphere
by sculptor
Arnaldo Pomodoro
, was presented as a gift to the UN by
Lamberto Dini
, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Italy.
[13]
- A life-size
tapestry
copy of
Pablo Picasso
's 1937 painting,
Guernica
, by Jacqueline de la Baume Durrbach, is displayed on the wall of the
United Nations
building in
New York City
, at the entrance to the
Security Council
room.
[14]
[15]
- Single Form
is a sculpture done by
Barbara Hepworth
in 1964 as a memorial to the UN Secretary General
Dag Hammarskjold
after his death in an air crash in Africa in 1961. It was donated to the UN by the
Jacob Blaustein Foundation
.
[16]
Conservation and maintenance
[
edit
]
The main entity responsible for the conservation of the collection is the UN Arts Committee.
[2]
The United Nations is assisted, through a special mandate and regulations, by fundraising groups such as the Maecenas World Patrimony Foundation in this endeavor of preserving these artistic and international heritages.
[17]
However, about 50 gifts, partly close to dissolution, are stored in the basement; and in some cases, have been so for decades.
[18]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Frommer's Review: United Nations, New York City Attractions, New York City, Travel Guides, NYTimes.com
, retrieved on: August 2, 2007
- ^
a
b
c
Marks, Edward B.
Art... At Home in the United Nations
,
UN Chronicle
United Nations Publications (1998), Gale Group (2004) and FindArticles.com, Winter 1998
, retrieved on: August 2, 2007
- ^
Presentation of Malaysia's Gift to the United Nations, Speech by Dato' Seri Dr. Mahathir Bin Mohamad, New York, September 25, 2003, PMO.gov
Archived
September 27, 2007, at the
Wayback Machine
, retrieved on: August 2, 2007
- ^
The Director-General, Protocol and Liaison Service, United Nations Office at Geneva, UNOG.ch (undated)
, retrieved on: August 2, 2007
- ^
Moore, Lawri Lala.
Moorings: The World of United Nations Peoples, Disarmament Exhibit Steals Centre Stage, UN.org, 2002
, retrieved on: August 2, 2007
- ^
Garten, UN Photo/Mark (24 October 2005).
"Chagall Peace Window Dedication Ceremony"
.
www.unmultimedia.org
. Retrieved
11 April
2018
.
- ^
Chagall Stained-Glass, United Nations Cyber School Bus, United Nations, UN.org, 2001
Archived
April 13, 2011, at the
Wayback Machine
, retrieved on: August 4, 2007
- ^
An 'element of inspiration and calm' at UN Headquarters - art in the life of the United Nations
Retrieved October 13, 2010
- ^
Norman Rockwell Mosaic, United Nations Cyber School Bus, United Nations, UN.org, 2001
Archived
March 19, 2011, at the
Wayback Machine
, retrieved on: August 4, 2007
- ^
"Japanese Peace Bell"
.
United Nations Cyberschoolbus
. New York: United Nations. 2001. Archived from
the original
on 2010-07-10
. Retrieved
February 19,
2018
.
- ^
Swords Into Plowshares, United Nations Cyber School Bus, United Nations, UN.org, 2001
Archived
July 10, 2010, at the
Wayback Machine
, retrieved on: August 4, 2007
- ^
a
b
"Nigerian Sculpture at United Nations Headquarters"
.
United Nations
. Archived from
the original
on 2018-01-28
. Retrieved
14 September
2021
.
- ^
"Art and Architecture at the UN"
. Retrieved
9 August
2010
.
- ^
"In praise of ... Guernica"
.
The Guardian
. 2009-03-26
. Retrieved
2017-07-12
.
- ^
David Cohen,
Hidden Treasures: What's so controversial about Picasso's Guernica?
, Slate.com
Retrieved October 17, 2010
- ^
"Single Form (In Memory of Dag Hammarskjold)"
. United Nations
. Retrieved
24 February
2023
.
- ^
Maecenas World Patrimony Foundation
Archived
2011-07-06 at the
Wayback Machine
, CelestialSphere.ch, 2005, retrieved on: August 2, 2007
- ^
Frithjof Ehm,
"Art of the World. The Art Collection of the United Nations"
Archived
2011-01-02 at the
Wayback Machine
, in:
Prague Leaders Magazine
N° 1/2010, p. 77-79.
External links
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