The Louvre, the Met, and the Hermitage. Without a doubt, three of the most prestigious art galleries in all the world. But if 78-year old artist Ranan Lurie gets his way, you can soon add the summit of Mt. Everest to that list.

Lurie has announced plans to place three acrylic-on-canvas works of art on the 29,029-foot peak. These small pieces are a part of a much larger project consisting of dozens of individual works that has been on display at the United Nations for some time. That project, entitled "Uniting Painting" stretches over 600 feet in length and has been a focus of Lurie's artistic talents for more than 40 years.

While the details of just exactly how those paintings will get to the summit have not been elaborated on, we can assume that Lurie has commissioned a team of climbers to carry his works to the highest point on the planet when the Everest climbing season gets underway next spring. If all goes according to plan, the world's highest art exhibition will probably take place sometime around mid-May, 2011.

Lurie hopes that by displaying his art in the High Himalaya, he can send a message to the world about the scope of his works and the uniting message he hopes to convey, which is that no matter what our race, creed, or culture, art is a common denominator.

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