Germany 2023
A TIMELESS SYMBOL FOR PEACE.
MAY 7 - MAY 18, 2023
The Exhibition for Peace during the 2023 Karlspreiss/Aachen
“THE GLOBAL SUPPER - AACHEN 2023” - A Timeless Symbol for Peace
Location: Aachener Dom / Kreuzgang, Domhof 1, 52062 Aachen, Germany - May 7- May 18, 2023
THE INSTALLATION DREW OVER 11,000 VISITORS
“More than 3 million children die from hunger every year. And between conflict, climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of hungry children is on the rise. ”
The Dinner Table:
Several long dining tables draped in velvet purple set the stage for a large global dinner setting. Each country is represented taking a seat at the table with one unique place setting (to date 199 countries of the world). Each place setting consists of a hand-painted one of a kind dinner plate, ornate with an olive branch for peace, a wine glass symbolically filled with red wine (the level referring to each country’s GDP). The plate and wine glass sit on a hem-stitched white linen placemat with an emblem representing each country and an outline of each country hand stitched onto the placemat.
Humanity is served on each plate in the form of a denim face mask stretched over the dinner plate (denim, representing the working class), each with a different word describing Humanity embroidered onto them. The seating order and all masks are randomly placed for all to be equal at the table. A table card will illustrate the country's population, environment, hunger, and other statistics.
The Exhibition:
"The Global Supper" exhibition stands as a timeless symbol of peace, encouraging dialogue and opening hearts and minds to new perspectives. Its purpose is to empower and inspire individuals, a moment to contemplate the importance of working together in solidarity to find sustainable solutions for the future of humanity and mankind.
The exhibition offers a visionary glimpse into a future we aspire to achieve—a future where workable solutions for peace, equality and thus sustainability, and the healing of our planet are embraced. It encourages us to take action both individually and globally, recognizing the interconnectedness of us all, environmentally, economically, and socially.
By engaging with "The Global Supper," I invite everyone to envision a world where collaboration, compassion, and understanding prevail. It serves as a catalyst for positive change and hope, emphasizing the urgent need to address global challenges and forge a path towards a brighter and more harmonious future for all.
“The cathedral in Aachen is an architectural masterpiece and symbolizes the unity and resurgence of Western Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. For me as an artist this specific cathedral has a very special meaning and I find it perfect for the next location of the “Global Supper”, surviving all the changes and transformations in Europe over its long history which are reflected in the architecture itself. On the other hand the cathedral stands for Unity, solidarity and cooperation in Europe. Those are the basic principles of the annual Karlspreis Award standing as a symbol for peace not just in Europe but worldwide. The daily mass is a direct extension of the Last Supper, the perfect synergy with the “Global Supper” Installation in the cloister courtyard. Just as the daily mass, the installation evokes questions and dialog concerning our own responsibility in the state of this world today, but also as a call to action to find sustainable solutions to the global inequality, hunger, wars and our environment.”
