UNIVERSAL KIMONO
Commissioned by Typojanchi Biennial (KR)
Concept by Roosje Klap
Typeface Till by Pauline Le Pape
Graphic design by Roosje Klap and Pauline Le Pape
3 flags that make one kimono, and a series of photos by several artists: Carmen Kemmink, Viviane Sassen, Barrie Hullegie, Petrovsky Ramone, Maarten Spruyt, Koen Hauser, Marthe Prins & Roosje Klap (2018–ongoing)
For the Korean Typojanchi 2017 Biennial we created a make-your-own kimono pattern, divided over the three flags, together forming the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). Almost seventy years ago, the alliance was constructed by the United Nations General Assembly, a crucial treaty, born from the experiences of the two World Wars. The "kimono", which actually means a "thing to wear" (ki "wear" and mono "thing”) is used here to embody and adopt the Four Freedoms—freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from fear, and freedom from want—as basic aim of the free self, and is empowered by the fact that you have to make it yourself. By wearing the 30 articles, one embodies the right to live, show dignity and worth of other humans and promotes a universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion.
After the Biennial, the kimono went on tour with photographers and artists who give their interpretation of the Universal Declaration. We have made the design of ‘The Universal Kimono’ available under Creative Commons as an open source, gender-free garment. Download the 3 flags yourself at universalkimono.com, sew your kimono together and wear it out loud!
The Universal Kimono and a selection of the photographs are on show at ‘Post-medium’, a group exhibition at the Graphic Design Biennial in Chaumont, FR (23.05 — 22.09.2019).
Photos by: Nicolas Waltefaugle