The World Day for International Justice is observed on 17th July to mark the anniversary of the historic adoption of the Rome Statute. The statute was adopted in 1998 and it became the treaty that established the International Criminal Court (ICC), the world’s first permanent international criminal court. The Rome Statute came into effect in 2002, upon ratification by 60 Nations.
The International Criminal Court investigates and, where warranted. It also tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community. Examples are genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crimes of aggression.
The World Day for International Justice is observed as a reminder to ensure the continued support for the international justice system and promoting the rights of victims.
To commemorate the day Lisson Gallery has presented a special online exhibition of new works on paper by artist Stanley Whitney. The exhibition was in collaboration with collector and patron Agnes Gund. The show is titled “Stanley Whitney: No to Prison Life,” and will be on July 26. Each featured work was created in protest of mass incarceration in the United States, which disproportionately affects African-Americans.
“I remember in ’71 during the prison revolt at Attica, I was at Yale and we didn’t hear too much about it. I can make this work now because I have enough power to do it and no one can tell me anything. When these drawings go out in the world I can have that conversation, I can bring that conversation in“,Whitney said in a statement to Artnews.
(Feature image source: The Commonwealth)
