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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

12 December 2013

November 2012 in Tibet 2 ( 28 butter lamps)

Portraits of people who demonstrated their faith by offering their bodies

Wangchen Norbu November 19
Tsering Dhongub November 20
Lubhum Gyal November 21
Tamdin kyab November 22
Tamding Dorjee November 23
Sangay Dolma November 25
Wangyal November 26
Konchok Tsering November 26
Gompo Tsering November 26
kalsang Kyab November 27
Sangay Tashi November 27
Wonde Khar November 28
Tsering Namgyal November 29
Kunchok Kyab November 30