The Wild Swans: Original Artworks By Her Majesty The Queen of Denmark

At Meridian International Center June 4 – July 3, 2010

First U.S. exhibition of Her Majesty's artworks will be officially opened in Washington, D.C. by TRH the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Denmark.

WASHINGTON, May 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Meridian International Center will present an exhibition of original decoupage set designs and costumes created by HM the Queen of Denmark for the recent film adaptation of the well known Hans Christian Andersen tale, The Wild Swans. TRH the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Denmark will officially inaugurate the exhibit on June 3, and it will remain open to the public from June 4 – July 3, 2010 at Meridian's Cafritz Galleries in the White-Meyer House.

The decoupage artworks, which were digitized and employed in the motion picture through green screen technology, form the background for the actors in an imaginative interface between art and cinema. The exhibition at Meridian will employ some of the same technology and visitors will be able to experience and understand how this approach was used to integrate Her Majesty's costumes and designs into the film. People of all ages will see first-hand the connection between contemporary Denmark and its sovereign and the country's famed story-teller, artist and dramatist. They also will delight in seeing an old story brought to life in the 21st century.

"Meridian's vibrant relationship with Denmark has resulted in exchanges that bring Americans and Danes together through cultural programs and around key issues like climate change. The Wild Swans is a case in point," said Stuart Holliday, President and CEO of Meridian. "It is an honor to share Her Majesty's art with a U.S. audience and showcase the creativity of the Danish people."

Cut paper artworks created by Hans Christian Andersen in the mid-19^th century on loan from the Odense City Museums in Denmark also will be on view, as will images and texts about Andersen's life and times.

Ancillary activities in Washington, D.C. will include educational programming at the Sitar Arts Center with an official Royal engagement of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess on June 3^rd and a film screening of The Wild Swans at the National Gallery of Art on June 6^th.

This exhibition was created in partnership with the Royal Danish Court, the Embassy of Denmark in Washington, D.C., JJ Films in Copenhagen, and the Odense City Museums and was made possible by the generous support of the Danish Embassy in Washington, Ambassador and Mrs. Stuart Bernstein, Ambassador John L. Loeb, Jr., D.C. Commission on the Arts & Humanities, Presentation Media, Secor Group, The LEGO Foundation, the A.P. Moller - Maersk Group, and Palsgaard.

About Meridian:  Meridian International Center, a non-partisan, non-profit institution based in Washington, DC has strengthened international understanding through the exchange of people, ideas and culture since 1960.  Meridian's Art for Cultural Diplomacy program organizes high quality exhibitions in collaboration with government ministries, museums, artists, collectors and experts around the globe. For over 25 years, Meridian has employed art to build bridges among people worldwide and its exhibits have traveled to 320 cities in 44 U.S. states and 50 countries. www.meridian.org

SOURCE Meridian International Center