Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is considered to be one of the most important documents that humanity has ever drawn up.

The atrocities committed by Nazi Germany during the Second World War demonstrated to the UN the need for a better definition of human rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was drafted, developed and finally adopted as a UN resolution by the General Assembly on 10 December 1948. The majority of UN members (48 of 58) recognized the Declaration as a common standard, committing to affirm and promote respect for fundamental individual rights.

However, they did not give it legal force or proclaim the document an international treaty.

Does the Declaration still serve its purpose? How many people are even familiar with the content of its articles?

I asked myself: Has the Declaration of Human Rights, 73 years after it was written, became a mere object of history, a thing-in itself? I decided to explore this assumption through art and to change my perception of the document by presenting it in the form of a medieval manuscript, as if it had been created centuries ago.

Size: 18"x24” / 46x60cm.

The ink-on-paper scripture utilizes a combination of textura quadrata and rotunda black letter styles.

Chapters are indicated by the Cistercian numerals.

The work has been displayed at the Promgrafika Gallery (Moscow) in February 2022 at the exhibition dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the Historical Calligraphy School.

Created in 2021.

2021-10-13, updated 2024-05-01