Heartfelt Human Rights

The Declaration: 1948

Having started making a Collection of my Heartfelt Books to Celebrate 100 years of Votes for Women, I decided to experiment with the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Could I fit the entire Declaration into a tiny book?

The picture shown was my first sketch, if you like and I am very pleased to say that this morning, I managed to fold the smallest, longest concertina book I have ever made. I can't wait to show you it. If I get time tomorrow, I'll take a few shots. I have handwritten it and yes, I did manage to get the entire 30 sections into its little pages.

        Monica Ross: acts of memory at Platforma Festival

I have long admired the work of the late Monica Ross and her 'acts of memory' live performance art, whereby she learnt the entire Human Rights Act and performed it. It became an interactive piece with people learning and joining her in what cascaded into a mighty tour of 60 global dates. On the last night of the tour, Monica died of cancer.

Here is a link to the 'acts of memory' website where you can find advice as to how you might hold your own acts of memory event. I held an acts of memory session on International Women's Day at the University in Lampeter 2 years ago. It was very moving experience. www.actsofmemory.net/

I love that my heartfelt books, though tiny, are able to convey such deeply important messages.

Special Thanks: to a friend who would prefer to remain anonymous. She wondered if I would be able to fit the Act into a tiny book and this led to me making a Heartfelt Book for Human Rights. And thanks to Márta Minier at The Atrium, Cardiff, who introduced me to the work of Monica Ross in one of her inspirational lessons when I was a student on the MA Drama.