The Global Citizen Project

“My figures represent individuals [who are] genetically almost identical but also quite different"

xenia and her Somali figure

By Xenia Marita Riebe

28 April 2007

This is a story about the world, and one artist’s desire that no culture should ever be lost in the process of globalization.

In 2005, the artist began an art project she calls the Global Citizen Project . To call it an art project understates what she is trying to accomplish. To put her subject into her own words, “the main topic of the project is to transform global society in its cultural variety by means of art.”

Xenia forms small figures about 30 centimeters (just under 12inches) tall from national newspapers she has obtained from all over the world. Each figure represents one country so the whole group of Global Citizens will be about 200 altogether according to the-number of nations represented at the United Nations. Each figure will have small magnets in their feet so that they stand upright on metal representations of each continent.

The debut of her project will take place at an international unveiling in June of 2007 that will be attended by many important visitors including former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Xenia, who takes a firm stand on political and social issues says “Evidence suggests that the economically powerful countries will lead the way with regards to political, social, ecological, and nomical conditions and that the poorer nations will have to yield thus becoming victims of globalization” She says, “My figures represent individuals [who are] genetically almost identical but also quite different. They speak different languages, use different scripts and have different religions. Their cultures show a great diversity.They have achieved cultural assets and their cultural heritage should be preserved.” More and more people, however, realize how fragile their culture has become, how their language isn’t used any more, how their history has been forgotten. One common purpose to be achieved is to preserve cultural diversity with all its essential effects on mankind.”

Xenia's website www.xenia-art.de

NB: Xenia used the national daily Somali language newspaper 'Haatuf' published in Hargeysa (SL Times sister paper), to form the Somali figure.

Source: Somaliland Times

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