Human dignity is inviolable. This statement is not only a legal principle for me, but the fundamental condition of human existence. It is the starting point of my thinking and the measure by which I read the world. Every structure, every system, and every order must be measured against this truth. And it is precisely there that my view of reality begins. All systems that surround human beings are constructions arising from human decisions. Yet once they come into being, they develop a dynamic that gradually distances itself from their origin. Systems generate categories that determine which forms of identity are recognized and which remain invisible. Once these categories become effective, a system logic emerges that no longer arises from human needs but confronts them and reflects back upon them. In this process of repercussion, systems begin to standardize the human being. They attempt to fit the individual into predetermined frameworks that do not arise from their own self-understanding, but from an order that seeks to stabilize itself. Standardization transforms individuality into function, diversity into deviation, and lived identity into an administrable form. It is precisely at this point that dignity is violated, not as an abstract idea, but as a concrete experience. Art, thought, life, and perception do not form separate spheres for me. Creating art is a necessity for me. It does not arise from a decision, but from the structure of my existence. It is not a reaction to external circumstances, but the necessary consequence of my entire experience. Therefore, my work is directed toward the field of tension between human nature and the structures that arise from it, and at the same time turn against it. I return to the origin, not to grasp the human being psychologically, but to understand the conditions under which systems emerge from human action-systems that ultimately limit human autonomy and endanger human dignity. I do not examine the human being as an object. I examine the states that arise from human action and act back upon it, often in ways that destabilize self-understanding. My work moves in the moment when systems begin to define the human being, and the human being nonetheless remains capable of resisting this definition. This resistance is not a moral gesture. It is a necessary movement of human self-assertion. From this resistance arise the questions that guide my work: How do we understand ourselves before order describes us? How do identities disintegrate when systems divide them? How do identities emerge anew when they resist normative demands? What meaning does dignity retain in a society that questions its own foundations? And how does perception change when we begin to think outside the grids that appear self-evident to us? I work within transitions, because insight does not arise from fixing meaning, but from the movement between meanings. Art is not, for me, a decorative or illustrative medium. It is an epistemic intervention into structures that generate meaning. Art creates spaces in which identity is not fixed but questioned. It enables the human being to escape standardization and to return to their own dignity. For me, dignity is not a moral ideal, but the inner boundary of being human, one that no system may cross. When systems attempt to define who we are, art becomes the movement in which this definition loses its power and the human being reclaims their irreducibility. From this grows a stance that carries my work: The human being is not a product of the order that surrounds them. They cannot be standardized. Art is the space in which this truth becomes visible and the space in which the human being returns to themselves.
Manifesto for the Preservation of Human Dignity
In recognition of the principles and values generally shared by the United Nations and its member states, particularly the inviolable human dignity enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, I call for an urgent return to a culture of equality, respect, and the universal validity of human rights. Human dignity is non-negotiable. It must neither be relativized nor damaged. However, in today’s world, human dignity is increasingly at risk. This violation not only has individual consequences but also threatens social peace and the foundation of global solidarity.
Article 1: The Inviolability of Human Dignity
Human dignity is indivisible and inviolable. It constitutes the fundamental principle of all rights and freedoms that humanity as a whole recognizes as indispensable. This dignity is not negated by origin, gender, skin color, religion, political beliefs, or social status. Any form of discrimination and dehumanization violates the universal right to respect for human dignity.
Article 2: The Responsibility of Individuals
Every human being bears the responsibility to respect the dignity of others. Actions and words aimed at humiliation or exclusion are morally and ethically indefensible. It is essential that individuals critically examine their behavior and acknowledge the inviolable dignity of every person.
Article 3: The Role of Society and Institutions
Societies and institutions are called upon to establish structures that ensure the protection and promotion of human dignity—without exception. Discrimination, exploitation, and unequal treatment must have no place in a just society. Every law, every political decision, and every societal practice must be in accordance with the protection of human dignity.
Article 4: The Global Context
The inviolability of human dignity is a universal principle that knows no geographical, cultural, or political boundaries. The challenges concerning human dignity—such as poverty, racism, violence, exclusion, and social injustice—must be addressed on a global scale. All states of the world are obliged to assume this responsibility, and their international commitments must not conflict with the universal protection of human dignity.
Article 5: The Commitment to Civil Courage
The preservation of human dignity does not require silence in the face of injustice but rather active participation in its abolition. Civil courage must become the norm, both in personal and public spheres. Inaction in the face of injustice contributes to degradation and must be understood as societal failure.
Article 6: The Ethical Obligation to Change
Every individual is called upon to actively participate in changing a culture of indifference and disregard for human dignity. In every decision and action, respect for human dignity and the recognition of universal human rights must be the foundation of all conduct.
The world cannot continue to exist in a state where human dignity is vulnerable. It is up to all of us to create a culture of respect and responsibility and to stand against increasing dehumanization. Human dignity is the foundation of a just and humane world.
fine art and philosophy study in Freiburg and Bonn/Alfter
Master of Fine Arts
Memberships:
- Professional Association of Visual Artists Berlin
- Professional Association of Fine Artists of Austria - Regional Association Carinthia
- VG BildKunst