The Eternal Diva
Few historical figures divide public opinion as much as Cleopatra VII, the last queen of Ancient Egypt (69-30 BC). Her beauty is the stuff of legend. She is said to have been highly educated and alluring, politically astute and cunning, capricious and courageous. Her eventful life and colourful personality inspired writers, painters and composers. Over the past two thousand years every era has produced its own distinctive image of Cleopatra. These constructs reflect not only the then prevalent models of femininity but also the cultural, political and social concerns of their time. This fact forms the starting point of our interdisciplinary exhibition. It presents the many faces of Cleopatra from antiquity to the pop culture of the present day trough a selection of sculptures, paintings and photographs as well as films and video works. Coinciding with the exhibition the roof of the Art and Exhibition Hall is transformed into an oriental garden inspired by the key elements of Egyptian garden design. Media Conference: Thursday, 27 June 2013, 11 a.m.