Art Calendar - 12 December 2021

LEON LÖWENTRAUT

Presentation of the "Global Gate" in Dubai

Photo: from left to right: Khalil Abdul Wahid, Visual Arts Manager at Dubai Culture, Leon Löwentraut, Holger Mahnicke, German Consul General in Dubai.

Photographer: Adrian Bedoy Photo rights: Leon Löwentraut 

The world's largest transportable work of art stands in front of the world's tallest building.

Displayed in front of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, at the famous Burj Plaza, alongside Expo 2020 Dubai, the Global Gate will make an important contribution to communicating the Sustainable Development Goals up to and including March 2022. The artwork also borrows from the thematic focus of EXPO 2020, which is "Connecting minds, shaping the future." The world exhibition is expected to attract 25 million visitors from all over the world. 

The opening ceremony was attended by Khalil Abdul Wahid, Visual Arts Manager at Dubai Culture, Holger Mahnicke, German Consul General in Dubai, Leon Löwentraut and numerous other personalities from politics, art and society.

The Global Gate is the largest mobile work of art in the world and was designed with the 17 motifs of the #Art4GlobalGoals campaign by the young German artist Leon Löwentraut, who is only 23 years old. Unmistakably based on the Brandenburg Gate in its construction, the artwork is 24 meters wide, 21 meters high and has a depth of six meters.

Its five passages invite visitors on a path of transformation: On each of the ten interior walls, the contents of the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are explained in 12 different languages. To intensify the transformation process, Löwentraut created portraits of children's faces in the "My Future" photo campaign, captured at the moment they asked themselves the question, "What does the future mean to me?" These black-and-white photographs, discreetly hand-painted by Leon Löwentraut, adorn the walls of the passageways, accompanying visitors as they make their way through the gate.

"End extreme poverty, quality education for all, and peace and justice." The Global Gate art project serves the #Art4GlobalGoals campaign. The campaign works to bring the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs, adopted by the UN and the global community to people around the world. 

Now the Global Gate is taking the message of the #Art4GlobalGoals campaign to Dubai and from there to the world.

Leon Löwentraut emphasizes, "Being able to exhibit my artwork here in Dubai, in such an important place in the world, means a lot to me. I'm happy to reach out to people here about sustainability." He adds, "The city inspires me to think big. I like that."

Art project developer Marcus Schäfer says, "The Global Gate exhibited on this wonderful square in front of the Burj Khalifa sends the message of sustainability from Dubai to the world." He adds, "I hope that many people will gain inspiration for a sustainable future through our art campaign - so that our wonderful planet remains livable for our children and grandchildren."

Gallery owner and exhibition organizer Dirk Geuer explains, "Through the visual power of this artwork, it is possible to depict the world's problems, but also to convey hope." He sums up, "Together we are moving through the Global Gate into a new sustainability."

The Global Gate, with its combination of impressive size, high-quality art and powerful symbolism, combined with the campaign's social commitment, is designed to introduce campaign goals to all visitors and enable change. Art has the power to do that. This project has come about through cooperation with EMAAR Properties and other partners.In the spirit of sustainability, all of the Global Gate's materials are 100 percent recyclable. The paints used are environmentally friendly. The necessary containers are provided by the logistics partner at the respective construction site. Only the outer facade travels from place to place.

In 2017, Leon Löwentraut, who was 17 years old at the time, became the first artist worldwide to be chosen to artistically interpret the 17 global goals adopted by the UN for the sustainable development of the world community. For the "#Art4Global Goals" campaign, Leon Löwentraut - with the support of UNESCO, the YOU Foundation and Geuer & Geuer Art - painted a total of 17 unique works. These works will be used worldwide to publicize and support the sustainable development goals until 2030. The 17 goals (Goals) are intended to contribute to enabling all people on our planet to live in dignity. The inaugural exhibition of the campaign took place at UNESCO Headquarters Paris in 2018.

Leon Löwentraut

The young, flamboyant painter is one of the most sought-after contemporary artists. His works have already been shown in New York, London, Ko

Leon Löwentraut

The young, extravagant painter is one of the most sought-after contemporary artists. His works have already been shown in New York, London, Copenhagen, Singapore, Zurich, as well as in the Pushkin Museum in St. Petersburg, the Palazzo Medici Riccardi in Florence, the Osthaus Museum in Hagen, the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana in Venice, the Kunstforum Vienna and the Bavarian National Museum in Munich. 

He was recently named by Forbes among the "30 under 30" (the 30 most important German personalities under the age of 30). 

Löwentraut, born in Kaiserslautern in 1998, has been painting since the age of 7. He works near Düsseldorf.

Expo 2020 Dubai

Due to its central location and easy accessibility, Expo 2020 Dubai is the most internationally oriented world exhibition in history. 192 countries - a record number - are participating in the World Expo.