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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

22 January 2013

For Pawo Kunchok Kyab

For Pawo Kunchok Kyab, 26 yrs old who self-immolated near the Bora Monastery, Amdo Bora on January 22nd. He passed away in his fiery protest.

His body was taken by Chinese security force from the site of the protest and local Tibetan people gathered in front of the office to demand his body back, only to be rejected harshly.

survived by his wife and a ten-month old infant.

Broken Blue Sky
Torn Green Pasture
Return his body and freedom to this land and people
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