text: 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 a lavish gown 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 . 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.'
target: Conchita is star of Life Ball 2015 poster .
  Shot by legendary Ellen von Unwerth .
  Event is biggest charity event in Europe supporting people with HIV or AIDS .
  Previous guests include Bill Clinton and Antonio Banderas .