Towards the last two months of my last visit to India in the spring of 2012, I encountered the Tibetan community in exile in India experiencing painful news of their people self-immolating in fire one after another in China-occupied Tibet. My experiences in the past visits in India (drawing a cremation site in Varanasi, documenting fire pits, cremation alters, and contemplating on life and death around fire) synchronized with this particular movement, an extreme way of ‘offering’ their bodies to ‘fire’ for asking freedom and peace.I could not help drawing large and small drawings as emotional response and with a sense of mourning.
After coming back to Vancouver, the self-immolation kept happening and I felt that my personal and professional task is not finished.
I have come back to India to continue to document and draw under the same theme. tomoyoihaya@hotmail.com
13 February 2013
For Drugpa Khar
For Drugpa Khar, 26 yrs old, who self-immolated on February 13 in Amchok, Sangchu Region of Kanlho, Amdo.
Father of 3 chilidren
Your land has been fenced and exploited
But someday you will go back to that green pasture and mountains under stars
