Arts
Tracing human rights
Inspired by the 25th anniversary of the University’s Human Rights
Centre, the current exhibition in the University Gallery: Trazos
humanos / Human Traces explores the engagement of contemporary Latin
American artists with the basic rights and freedoms to which all humans
are entitled, as expressed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The Spanish word for ‘traces’ is trazo and can mean sketch, outline,
feature or characteristic. The title of this exhibition refers, therefore,
to the absence of humans in the works included; to the ‘traces’ by which
humans are represented and, to the ‘marks’ made by artists in order to
recapture a sense of humanity in often dehumanising circumstances.
The works in this exhibition, which runs until 19 July, include those
by world renowned artists Oscar Muñoz, Cildo Meireles and León Ferrari, as
well as emerging artists such as Fernando Traverso and Wilson Diaz.
A number of the works in Human Traces refer explicitly to the
threats to human rights and freedoms present in Latin American countries,
particularly in relation to the right to freedom of thought, to life,
property and an adequate standard of living. Other works refer more
obliquely to such issues, highlighting and questioning the use of
particular materials and means of expression, such as Christian Prunello’s
appropriation of banknote design, made in response to hyperinflation.
Human Traces is a partnership exhibition, supported by Arts on 5, the
University of Essex Collection of Latin American Art (UECLAA), Human
Rights Centre and the Latin American Centre. Events accompanying the
exhibition include artists’ talks, a film festival, round table discussion
and primary school workshops. For further details, please contact the
University Gallery, telephone: 01206 873261, or e-mail:
arts@essex.ac.uk.
Tracing Human Rights
Also in the printed June edition of Wyvern:
