Conversation with ... Ranan Lurie ... on the Uniting Painting.

RANAN LURIE does not lack in accomplishment. Not only is he the world's most widely syndicated political cartoonist, he is also a Nobel Peace Prize nominee (by the Republic of Cyprus), an inventor, painter, writer and journalist. His political cartoons are viewed each day by over 100 million people worldwide. He also promotes global excellence in political cartooning by sponsoring the annual United Nations Correspondents Association Ranan Lurie Political Cartoon Award.

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Mr. Lurie's The UNITING PAINTING has actually been in development for almost forty years. He began to create this avant-garde work in 1968 in his home, exceeding many conventions of traditional artistry. The colourful flowing lines of the painting travel similarly to water. When the painting expands to new locations, it adapts to non-standard canvasses, such as tile, asphalt and fence and even traverses water. In November 2005, The UNITING PAINTING was unveiled at UN Headquarters in New York City. Inside the UN building, from the painting's origins on a towering 75-foot-tall ceiling, it climbs down a wall, then spirals down the stairs and travels outside towards Roosevelt Island. This artwork will soon be on a journey around the world, to such places as Athens, Jerusalem and London, to be shared by people from a melange of different cultures, ethnicities and languages. It will even extend to the long disputed territory of the demilitarized zone (DMZ) that still isolates, politically and physically, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea (ROK). Expressing the essence and the uniting nature of his work, Mr. Lurie said: "The UNITING PAINTING will surround the globe and bind it by art and goodwill."

Mr. Lurie (see photo) spoke with Amy Pont (right), Pureterrah Witcher (left) and Horst Rutsch of the UN Chronicle on 7 June 2006.

On the inspiration behind the painting

When I began, I had no deep thoughts about it. I just wanted to have the original art in my home, but after I completed the painting, I had a very strange feeling--I felt that the art was unhappy, while elsewhere its motif was aiming in one direction. And thus I decided to continue it onto another canvas and then on another one, and another one and another one. The painting was pulling me ahead, like a huge, strong dog on a leash. It was curious and wanted to continue, and I followed it. When it insisted on leaving the house, I started to get the essence of the character of my new creation: continuity. I thought how beautiful it would be if it could bring the same message from my house to my neighbour's house, then from his house to the local museum, and from that institution to the high school, the municipality and then, low and behold, to the neighbouring town.

On the painting's evolving social dimension

I am continually struck by the very powerful feeling that's pulling me forward all the time. I translated all that into the painting that was continuously evolving. I saw how it physically connected between my house and my neighbour's home--the gentleman who loved it so much and invited the painting inside of his house. From there, it went on to another neighbour. It was a beautiful sight.

I didn't intend to create it as a river, but I needed to have a continuous body. I think my subconscious decided upon a river so that common sense may prevail. Quite a few people have come to me and said, "It's a river?" And I said, "No, you're not getting it". Later, I compromised: "It's like a river", I would utter.

But it needed to be able to adapt to the ad infinitum. If it intended to explore, it would have to learn to adapt to the new environments it was planning to infiltrate. It would have to adapt to the changing physical elements and become one of them should it wish to survive during its exploration. The adaptation became its trademark. The art will distinguish itself as a rock between rocks, a bush within the shrubbery, a cobblestone set on a driveway, while maintaining its continuing motif through and with the support of all and any materials mentioned above. My art was not satisfied with existing on a wall only. It wanted to live while moving ahead and it could do so only by adapting to changing environments--and so it did. In a way I programmed my art to become very practical if it really wanted to continue and live. It's capacity to adjust to the new horizons it was penetrating was paramount.

"No person is an island", and the same applies to the art that must show its colours, lines and message throughout different temperatures, exposures and punishing weather, while maintaining its motif. Once I discovered this basic principle for my art, the protection by adaptation, I knew that I can start thinking big--connecting from a house to the town, from there to the country, and then to the continents. For The UNITING PAINTING, the capital of all continents was the UN Headquarters, in which it took me about three years to plan and establish my art there. From there, it continued to Roosevelt Island through the East River. Currently, I am preparing something new for the City of New York. I contemplated a proposal for continuing the painting from Roosevelt Island to Governor's Island. From there, it will navigate its way, while pursuing its goal to encircle the world, until it completes its journey and returns back to the UN through the other gate.

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On the power of The UNITING PAINTING

Being a political cartoonist, I felt that this painting has a mission with global objectives. It connects different people, different countries and different languages. It's "ambition-less"--and it is powerful precisely because it is "ambition-less". There cannot be any ulterior motive; there cannot be any economic or political goals. It's art--pure and simple. The art itself does not carry any pro or con message. It's not pro-North Ireland, not pro-Dublin. It's not pro-Pakistan, it's not against India; and it's not pro-North Korea (DPRK), not pro-South Korea (ROK). For any place that has a conflict, this painting may serve as a reminder that anything and everything can still connect. As far as I'm concerned, the world may treat it as "crazy glue".

Symbolism is important. I chose England as a major site because it is at the opening to oceans that connect other countries. Similarly, Roosevelt Island is surrounded by a natural river flowing to the ocean, just like Governor's Island. Every place has its unique imagery. In England, its significance lies in part in the fact that the painting is in Greenwich, where time begins. I went to Jerusalem, to the spot where the three great religions started. One must understand that The UNITING PAINTING is not a canvas in the traditional sense. It's a massive undertaking. I'm already negotiating with NASA about bringing part of it to the moon.

At the UN, the painting is completed. For Governor's Island, it's still a concept. The City put out a large bid for companies to turn Governor's Island into something unique and special. In my proposal, I said I am not going to take care of Governor's Island, but I can take care of your ambition by creating something very special, very different, very unique--something that will symbolize to the world what New York City is. My idea is that a big company should take over the management of the Island, but there should be a pre-condition for it to display The UNITING PAINTING like a flag of art, communicating with the entire world and making New York City the ultimate dispatcher of an artistic idea.

On reaching out to poor communities

I would like to deliver the painting especially to poor areas. It is an equalizer. It shows that you don't have to be wealthy to own it. If Harlem would want part of it for itself, I would do it free of charge. If South Africa would want to connect white suburbs with black neighbourhoods via The UNITING PAINTING, it would happen there. The painting can serve as a natural equalizer by becoming a collateral benefit of its nature. If a rich country has this painting, and a poor neighbouring State has the continuation of the art established on its surface, they will be part of the same family, like twin sisters. Once I start creating The UNITING PAINTING in both North and South Korea (I already have a contract to do it there), its political value may be beyond imagination. My vision is that the UN will have proof on the ground, so to speak, and show that it can offer a common denominator to all parties.

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On the preparations for the painting

In my negotiations with the United Nations, I had to deal with many committees, and every one had flourishing problems. I did not know that so many tribulations could be worked out in the UN (laughs). Everyone had an opinion and everyone had some kind of objection. In principle, people feel that you are stepping on their toes, especially those who have six or seven toes; they want to make sure that everything is right, because it is such a tremendous task.

In every country I had the same situation, but from a bird's-eye view, I can say that things are moving along very well. In Greece, we had an unveiling, with pictures and the plan, when something fantastic happened. The Greek Government decided to give a large sum of money to develop the museum, so it will be able to eventually entertain the entire painting that I proposed. As a result, they have committed themselves to developing the museum and they have asked me to wait a year and a half. In England, they are also developing their museum. In every place, naturally, the situation differs. At the UN, it took a very long time, but overall it came out very nicely. In North Korea and South Korea, it's not so much a real estate problem, as it is a political problem. As you know, in order to reach the North from the South, you have to go through the DMZ. When people heard this, their ears flared out. What kind of booby trap is this? Is it a Trojan canvas?

On maintaining the consistency of the painting

I am dividing my potential time into two parts: based on what I feel and what I know my health is. The first part is creating the painting's concept from A to Z, so that it can serve as a basis for the future. I am considering every year that passes when to start doing plans for the future. I am travelling, seeing areas that I am contemplating and then taking photographs and creating my designs over them. I will have three pictures that can serve as a "how to" for potential creative contractors. I'm moving from place to place, preparing for the future.

Wherever I work, whatever plans I have, I will always need assistance. There is no way in the world that I can do it alone. At every site, I will have art students work on the painting according to my plans. The master plan will have to be followed diligently. If you are in the Czech Republic or in Paraguay, and you want to adapt to the painting, it will have to be the way it appears in Shanghai and the way it was created in Moscow. The overriding principle here is consistency.

On the evolution of his work

I'm an artist of two souls: that of a political cartoonist and that of a creator of fine art. The first one spills blood in its effort to identify world problems. The second one soothes the problem through unification. So far, I have failed to discover which of them is more fascinating.