info

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

7 March 2016

For Dorje Tsering and Kusho Kalang Wangdu 2 - Bridge

 Social media was flooded with pictures of your smiling face, your ama la and pala holding tears, your family.  faces of mourning people. Video clips of the funeral and cremation. All I could do was to gaze them speechless in tears.

Such a loss. Such a pain. You could do many more things in your lives. But you are gone.  What do you think we can do for your sacrifices? 

Live well so as the world can be the better place. Build a bridge for all of you to go back.   

Tsering( Long life), Ama la and Pala in exile and in Tibet. Thousands of thoughts are with you and your sons.

 With wish of no other precious life gone like yours.