Universal Declaration of Human Rights Belarusian Paper Art

Belarusian paper cut-out art depicting rights from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Gifted to Zhanna Charniauskaya by Ales Viktaravich Bialiatski, a Belarusian activist who won the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize for his work as a human rights activist in Belarus.

There are 30 paper postcards in the book, each postcard measuring 18×13 cm. Each page is  24×14 cm. The Articles written on the postcards are typed on the bottom of this page.*

This collection of postcards depicts multiple works of paper art representing different rights from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was created in 1948 in the aftermath of World War II. This paper art made by the Belarusian artist Volha Baburyna was printed in Vilnius, Lithuania in 2013 due to restrictions on the press in Belarus. Belarus is currently in a state of political repression due to the dictatorship of Lukashenko, a leader who took power in 1994 after the fall of the Soviet Union. His controversial leadership has led to large activist demonstrations in Belarus advocating for human rights.

These postcards, corresponding to all the rights outlined in the Universal Declaration, are a part of this activism that calls for Belarusian rights despite their repressive government. Pictured in this exhibition are Article 1 (all humans are born equal), Article 16 (the right to marry), and Article 27 (the right to participate in cultural life and the protection of moral interests). This collection of artwork was given to Zhanna Charniauskaya, a Belarusian community leader in Chicago, at a 2018 University of Chicago conference called “Culture of Protest.” This piece was gifted to her by Ales Viktaravich Bialiatski, a Belarusian activist who won the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize for his work as a human rights activist in Belarus. He was recently arrested and charged under Lukashenko’s rule for allegedly smuggling cash into Belarus to fund opposition activity. 

Paper art, or “Vycinanka” in Belarusian,  has historically been common amongst peasants, as it is a cheap method of art only requiring paper and scissors — thus representing a bottom-up form of art that represents the impoverished and minorities who demand the same rights for all Belarusians. Papercut art became frequent in Eastern Europe in the 1800s, with original designs being made on bark and leather by shepherds. As paper became a more common commodity, papercut art was made using a variety of techniques and colors in Belarus, Poland, and Ukraine. Typically animals, flowers, holidays, and people were depicted. Red, green, yellow, blue, and gold were often used, representing life, Spring, and prosperity. Women were the predominant artists behind these works, as paper art was often made at home and taught to children.

Polish papercut art                                                                        Ukrainian papercut art 

To see the process of someone making this type of art, view this video of Polish papercut art being made — while it is different from Belarusian papercut art, it contains many similar patterns. 

Belarusian activism has had a long history of protest against government repression, often directed towards Soviet leaders. Human rights has been a rallying point for many Belarusians over time, as the region has had a turbulent history of invasion and war with political repression of dissent. Human rights abuses are often felt most prominently by minorities in the region, especially Jews, who faced the horrors of the Holocaust and subsequent erasure in the narrative of Eastern European ethnicities. This work of paper art combines an important call for Universal Human Rights with a historically popular form of art in Belarus and surrounding Eastern European countries. The use of local folk art like papercut art in this collection of postcards displays the various ways that local cultures create different art — and how, despite their differences, they all deserve universal human rights. 

*Articles Written in the Displayed Postcards

Article 1.

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Article 16.

(1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.

(2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses. 

(3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State. 

Article 27.

(1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.

(2) Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.