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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

27 May 2013

For Tenzin Sherab

For Tenzin Sherab, 31 yrs old who self-immolated in Adril region, Jekhundo, Kham, Tibet on May 27th.

Several days before his protest, he had told his friends:
'The current rule by PRC is not good.
If this situation continues, our religion and culture will
disappear. I can not live under such a circumstance'

We stand here hearing your heart breaking news and feel helpless that we can not reach and take actions to help you at this moment.
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