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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

11 December 2016

Announcement : Exhibition @ Museo de la Ciudad Queretaro, Mexico



Eyes Water Fire for Tibet ( Ojos Agua Fuego) for Tibet and for the world@ Museo de la Ciudad Queretaro, Mexico
December 9th 2016 to January 29th 2017

Eyes Water Fire and Drawings from Dharamsala is travelling to Mexico in honour of International Human Right Day and the H.H. Dalai Lama's Nobel Peace Prize anniversary. This exhibition was made possible by the support of Tibet Mexico Queretaro friends and Teleruz of ITN.  

All works, mostly mixed media installations, are made between 2012 up to date. Each piece has many layers of memories of many friends, young and old, whom I spent much time together in sorrow, joy, and prayers with candle lights. Therefore, I feel this occasion is to share their lives with other human beings (...maybe with other creatures too) in Mexico. The whole exhibition is meant to be a humble dedication to those who never lose hope and live in dignity, hope, and loving kindness.