“My people will sleep for one hundred years, but when they awake, it will be the artists who give them their spirit back.” - Louis Riel

‘The Universal Game - One Flag to Connect Us All’ is an outreach art project conceived and produced by Spanish artist 233, who was the Visiting Artist at the Human Rights Research and Education Center of the University of Ottawa, Canada in the Fall of 2015.

The motivation for this project came from a desire to mark the International Human Rights Day (December 10th) through art. The concept entailed putting together pieces of flags reflecting the nationalities of University of Ottawa students in a large banner displayed in a central location within the campus. Elements of this jigsaw included pieces of flags and universal symbols such as the dove, the flame, the balance, etc.

In order to create the canvas, the Human Rights Center invited the University of Ottawa community to participate in a ‘Jigsaw Day, Let’s Play!’ collective art performance. Pieces of the jigsaw were previously created in an art workshop also open to the public. Once the game was finished, the resulting design was photographed and printed onto a vinyl banner. The banner was unveiled to the University of Ottawa community on December 10th in an Opening Ceremony.

The message is one of union, diversity and rich global exchange and inclusivity.

233 (Ramon Blanco Barrera) is a PhD Candidate and Professor in Training at the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Seville, Spain. In his art he sends social and political messages in order to make people reflect about their communities, both local and universal, constantly bringing up human rights concepts and values. He uses the number ‘233’ in reference to the ‘identity game’ of our overpopulated world system. His artworks have been exhibited in several countries.  His last solo shows were in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and in Seville, Spain.

To learn more about Ramon’s art work, you can visit these links: 233art, Sahara Libre Flag, INTEGRAÇÃO Não mais contrastes, Emergent Art Space, 'DESORDEM E PROGRESSO'