Unique collaboration between Artist Koen Vanmechelen and ALDI to support The Warmste Week

Koen Vanmechelen has teamed up with supermarket chain ALDI for an exclusive art project. This Saturday, December 7, a work of art by Vanmechelen will be available for purchase at ALDI stores. It is a reproduction of a drawing the artist created specifically for ALDI. The piece, titled Cosmogolem, Giant of Hope, will be sold for €24.99. Moreover, this project supports several charitable causes.

'Cosmogolem, Giant of Hope'

Vanmechelen created an entirely new work for ALDI, titled Cosmogolem, Giant of Hope. The drawing illustrates some central themes from the artist's body of work: the Cosmogolem, a wooden giant and symbol of children's and human rights, connects with a transparent egg, symbolizing the world.

“This Giant of Hope helps children worldwide find their own voice and identity,” says Vanmechelen. “Its large feet provide stability and movement, while its large hands symbolize helpfulness. The open head represents an open mind, and the heart-shaped opening symbolizes safety. Through this opening, children can entrust the Cosmogolem with their dreams and wishes.”

“Art should be among the people. A project with ALDI makes art affordable for everyone. Moreover, we make the world a little more beautiful with this project by also linking it to various charitable causes.” — Koen Vanmechelen

Exclusive at ALDI

Art prints of the original work have been made, framed in high-quality wooden frames. The artworks will be available exclusively at all 440 ALDI stores in Belgium starting Saturday, December 7, for just €24.99.

ALDI is known for its low-priced non-food offers on Wednesdays and Saturdays, but this collaboration with such an artist is new for the retailer.“We regularly surprise our customers with our one-time offers,” says Natalie Duthoy, Managing Director of ALDI's purchasing department. “A collaboration like this with Koen Vanmechelen is also new for us, but it fits perfectly within our mission to make top-quality products affordable for everyone. ALDI is the supporter of your budget. Now we’re also achieving that with art.”

Charitable Cause

Vanmechelen is donating his contribution of this project to charity. “The Cosmogolem is a global helper. With this artwork, we are supporting The Warmste Week, which this year focuses on the theme ‘flaming together against loneliness,’ aligning closely with the message of the Cosmogolem. On the other hand, we are investing in the operations of and a new Cosmogolem for The Future of Hope Foundation, a foundation established by my wife Chido Govera in Zimbabwe. Lastly, we are also donating a few copies of the work to the non-profit organization Monte Rosa in Leuven. In 2023, we built a Cosmogolem there, in collaboration with local volunteers, as a symbol of our shared belief in growth and strength. The Giant of Hope will now also watch over the children in the (bed)rooms where they find a (temporary) shelter.”