Drawings from Dharamsala

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

19 July 2013

4 Rivers 6 Mountains

4 Rivers 6 Mountains
Mixed media on Japanese paper
2012 29.5 x 48"

Wishing Tree

Wishing Tree
Mixed media on Japanese paper
29.5 x 48" 2012

13 June 2013

Tomoyo Ihaya's Blue Lotus mourns those who have sacrificed for Tibet
by Robin Laurence on Jun 11, 2013 at 12:57 pm

11 June 2013

For Wangchen Dolma

For Wangchen Dolma, 31 years old, a nun who self-immolated in Tawo, Kham, on June 11th. She was taken by Chinese security force after her self-immolation and has been missing since.

6 June 2013

Blue Lotus - Drawings for the lives in the Land of Snow

Blue Lotus -Drawings for the lives in the Land of Snow
June 13 to 20 2075 Alberta Street Vancouver BC

Opening reception: Thursday, June 13, 6 – 9pm - Please bring a candle
Artist talk: Saturday, June 15, 2pm
Artist will be drawing in the gallery on June 15 and 16

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.

24 April 2013

For Konchok Woeser and Lobsang Dawa

For Konchok Woeser 20 yr old and Lobsang Dawa 22 yrs old.

Both are monks from Taktsang Lhamo Kirti Monastery. They self-immolated together beside the main prayer hall on April 24, 2013 in Zoege, Amdo, Tibet.

In the picture arrived in the Tibetan-in-exile community, snow could be seen on the logs and stones around their burning site.

On such a cold day you passed away, surrounded by
other monks.

I dream a country where no more of you have to pass like this.

16 April 2013

For Jugtso

For Jugtso, who self-immolated in Dzamthang, Ngaba, Amdo, Tibet on April 16 2013.

She set herself alight outside of Jonang monastery, where a number of other Tibetans including two mothers, have done the self-immolation protest in the past.

Her body was taken into the monastery and thousands of people gathered around her home to offer prayers.

She left a three-year-old child behind