Article 1 - The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (series in English)

This piece is part of a collection of 30 xylographs, produced by the multimedia artist Otávio Roth (1952-1993), that graphically express the content of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). The series took two years to reach completion, with each piece printed on handmade paper created by the artist himself. Driven by the desire to democratize access to the Charter, Otávio Roth synthesized its message in graphic pieces that facilitate the understanding and memorization of the Charter’s content.

Roth was the first living artist invited to exhibit at the United Nations. His prints have been on permanent display at UN headquarters in New York, Geneva and Vienna since 1981. In addition to the English series, the artist produced other series in Japanese, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Norwegian and Danish, using techniques as diverse as crayon, watercolor and pulp painting.

About Article 1
Dignity is the foundation of all human rights. All people must be treated with the highest protection because each person has intrinsic value. The former UN human rights chief, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, called the opening words of Article 1 “perhaps the most resonant and beautiful of any international agreement”. They underline that “human rights are not a reward for good behavior,” but the entitlement of all people, at all times, in all places.