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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

10 December 2014

International Human Rights Day

On December 10th, International Human Rights Day( 24/7/365 actually)
butter lamps are added on the drawing in progress and one offered in front of it.

A modest gesture in solidarity for those who passed away in protest for human dignity and rights and who suffer in prisons now because they had stood up for  freedom and human rights with compassion and courage.

Peace!