She's the bearded diva who won over the globe after winning Europe's biggest entertainment contest last year.
And now, Eurovision Song Contest legend Conchita Wurst has been given a dazzling high art makeover.
The star has been transformed into Gustav Klimt's Golden Adele for the Life Ball 2015 poster.
Scroll down for video
Conchita Wurst has been transformed into Gustav Klimt's Golden Adele for the Life Ball 2015 poster shot by Ellen von Unwerth
Conchita
posed before industry heavyweight Ellen von Unwerth's lens for the
poster, which will be on display on the streets of Vienna and cast in
gold on a medallion by Austrian Mint.
The
poster promotes the dazzling Life Ball event, where Conchita will
perform, as well as walk in a fashion show staged by Jean Paul Gaultier.
Naturally, the 26-year-old wears the French couturier's designs in the imagery.
The
gold dress, which is embroidered with over 12,000 Swarovski crystals
and 0.5kg of pearls and painted with 2.5kg of gold color, took over
1,000 hours to handcraft.
Conchita posed before industry
heavyweight Ellen von Unwerth's lens for the poster and dazzled in Jean
Paul Gaultier's finest garments
Life Ball founder, Gery Keszler, Conchita, legendary snapper Ellen and Jean Paul Gaultier pose on set
'Being
able to wear this art piece of a dress felt sensational,' gushed
Conchita. 'I love Ellen! I knew a few of her works and was incredibly
excited to meet her. What a great women.'
Speaking
about her work, Ellen Von Unworth said: 'I tried to imitate Klimt's
painting - it almost felt flagrant. I love Klimt, his paintings with all
those colors, all this glamor and and all the poetry. I felt very
inspired by creating an homage to this extraordinary painting.'
The
Life Ball posters, which are created by world famous artists and convey
the event's message, have become legendary since their launch in 2013.
The
poster will be auctioned off on the day of the Ball during the AIDS
Solidarity Gala in the Hofburg palace for the benefit of Austrian and
international HIV/AIDS projects.
In 2014, the auction of the original photo by David La Chapelle sold for £130,000.
Conchita, seen behind the scenes on set, won over the globe after winning Europe's biggest entertainment contest in 2014
The
Life Ball, which takes place in May, is the biggest charity event in
Europe supporting people with HIV/AIDS and is being dubbed Europe's
answer to the MET Ball thanks to it's dazzling guestlist.
Speaking
about the origins of the glittering event, Keszler told FEMAIL: 'Life
Ball was born out of the energy and environment prevalent across the
world in the late 80’s and early 90’s - particularly in the fashion
industry - that saw AIDS as a daily issue profoundly effecting our
friends and colleagues who were dying, but that no one understood or was
willing to talk about.
'There was this undercurrent of urgency to do something: to help, to get involved and make some noise.
'My
main goal with the first Life Ball was to bring a spotlight to the
disease, the fundraising aspect was a secondary consideration.'
The Life Ball, pictured, is the
biggest charity event in Europe supporting people with HIV or AIDS and
is being dubbed Europe's answer to the MET Ball
Gery
Keszler set up the event in 1992 with the goal of the show being to be
provocative and have HIV/AIDS and the taboo that it represented
acknowledged. Right: Conchita as the star of this year's poster
Gery Keszler, left, pictured with Sir Elton John, centre, set up The Life Ball in 1992 to raise vital funds
The event,
which has attracted the likes of Bill Clinton, left, and Dame Vivienne
Westwood, aims to get people talking about AIDS, which Keszler says was a
daily issue profoundly effecting his friends and colleagues who were
dying but that no one understood or was willing to talk about
Keszler
aimed to marry the unique and prolific Ball tradition that they have in
Vienna, and combine the splendour of the Viennese Waltz with modern,
liberal ideals to celebrate life.
'At
that time, the goal of the show was to be provocative as we were aiming
to cause a stir and have HIV/AIDS and the taboo that it represented
acknowledged,' he explained.
'When
in 1993 one of my clients, Thierry Mugler’s main stylist, died of the
disease, he agreed to do the fashion show and so Life Ball as a
standalone event was born.
'I
had no conceivable idea what I was taking on, it was me and a fax
machine in six square meters of office space in my client's kitchen. I
funded it entirely from my own pocket and didn’t really know if anyone
was going to attend but knew that we had to do something.'
Keszler aimed to marry the unique and
prolific Ball tradition that they have in Vienna with more liberal ideas
(Conchita Wurst pictured at the event)
Prince Harry, who set up Sentebale, a
charity that provides healthcare and education to vulnerable children in
Lesotho, Southern Africa, will be honoured with an award for his
services
As part of his Sentebale charity,
Harry built the Mamohato Children's Centre to support vulnerable
children through healthcare and education and the initiative is being
awarded
Keszler says this year's Life Ball, which takes place in Vienna, will 'undoubtedly be better than ever'
Keszler 'strongly believes' that a
cure for HIV is on the horizon and hopes to make as much noise about it
as possible via his glittering event
From
there, a huge event was born and the likes of Debbie Harry, Kate Moss,
Naomi Campbell and Helena Christensen were among the first guests.
The
event is now listed as one of the top 50 HIV/AIDS fundraisers in the
world and has partnered with Elton John’s AIDS Foundation, Bill
Clinton’s AIDS Initiative and AmFAR.
Keszler
says this year’s Life Ball will 'undoubtedly be better than ever'. The
event will be continuing its work with Elton John’s foundation,
supporting the crucial work that they do, and Graham Norton will be
attending as part of the foundation.
Adding
some high fashion glamour to the event, Jean Paul Gaultier is set to
unveil an exclusive retrospective of work twenty years after he first
showed there.
With
gold as this year’s Life Ball theme, taking inspiration from the
exquisite baroque Vienna Secessionists, the couture show will follow the
vibrant and ostentatious theme with a bevy of internationally acclaimed
supermodels set to walk for well-connected Jean Paul.
'It
is really perfect timing to have JPG back this year,' said Keszler. 'It
has been twenty years since he was part of the Life Ball and we are at
such an exciting time in our medical fight against HIV that his presence
is a wonderful reminder of how far we have come.'
The event
is now listed as one of the top 50 HIV AIDS fundraisers in the world and
has attracted guests such as Maria Cross, left, and Antonio Banderas
and Naomi Campbell, right
Ricky Martin has performed at the event in previous years and 2015 will welcome Jean Paul Gaultier and Charlize Theron
Jean
Paul's show will be watched from the front row by actress Charlize
Theron, who will attend on behalf of her foundation Charlize Theron
Africa Outreach Project.
Theron
will join a bevy of A-list celebrities and performers, who pour into
Vienna annually to help fight against HIV at the world’s largest AIDS
event.
The
Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project, based in her home country of
South Africa, is dedicated to addressing HIV/AIDS in adolescents across
sub-Saharan Africa through education, grant giving, networking and
community outreach.
Theron
will give a keynote speech at the First Ladies Luncheon at the
Belvedere Castle in Vienna ahead of attending the Life Ball, where she
will present the work of her organisation and her vision for and
AIDS-free generation.
Prince
Harry, who works tirelessly to help vulnerable children living in
extreme poverty at risk of AIDS, will also be recognised.
As
part of his Sentebale charity, which he set up with Prince Seeiso of
Lesotho, the 30-year-old royal built the Mamohato Children’s Centre to
support vulnerable children through healthcare and education.
And Harry's programme will be receiving the 2015 Swarovski Crystal Of Hope Award at the glittering Life Ball event in May.
Keszler won't stop until the event garners global recognition and thus increased power to effect change
Keszler
'strongly believes' that a cure for HIV is on the horizon and that the
leap forward that was affordable generic medication was crucial to the
fight for survival for the 34 million people in the world living with
HIV.
'Ironically
we have further to go in the fight against social AIDS than we do the
medical disease now and thus it is this fight that we must be equally
concerned with,' he said.
But
that's where the Life Ball comes in - and he won't stop until the event
garners global recognition and thus increased power to effect change.
He
concludes: 'Life Ball is symbolic, it is a unique weekend in the year
in which the world’s most significant AIDS organisations come together,
stand together, fight together and continue to fight for those who are
not able to fight for themselves.
'It
is my constant desire for Life Ball weekend to expand, to obtain more
friends, have better connections, help more programmes and become
internationally known for fighting social AIDS as well as the disease
itself.'
No comments:
Post a Comment