It may have been dogged by controversy but the United Nations Commission of Human Rights has always involved humans – until now.

Australian artist Bennett Miller recreated the United Nations, but with 47 dachshunds, at the Ikon Gallery as part of Birmingham's Fierce Festival.

Featuring dachshunds from across the West Midlands in the role of the world’s politicians, Miller’s canine installation piece, Dachshund UN, was designed to provoke thought on the issue of human rights.

An exhibition spokesman said: “Dachshund UN is both a joyful and chaotic experiment, and a meditation on the utopian aspirations of the Commission on Human Rights, and our capacity as humans to imagine and achieve a universal system of justice.”

Miller is a sculptor and artist from Perth, Western Australia. He has created large-scale works for numerous group exhibitions and festivals within Australia.

He has also held solo exhibitions at ASKA (2006), Canberra Contemporary Art Space (2007) and Chalk Horse (2009).

One of his earlier works includes a Golf War series through 2003 to 2007 which retold the story of a war in Iraq across nine different courses.

It was reported that he spent five years obsessed with mini golf as a result.

www.wearefierce.org

Below: Video interview with Bennett Miller from ABC in Australia