Conversation with … Ranan Lurie … on the Uniting Painting

UN Chronicle, Sept-Nov, 2006

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.