Chinese painter portrays Tibet self-immolators

[ellisonz]

Associated Press/Andy Wong - In this photo taken on Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2012, portraits of Tibetans who have self-immolated over the past three years painted by Beijing-based artist Liu Yi are displayed at his studio in Songzhuang art village in Tongzhou, on the outskirt of Beijing. Liu is working on a series of black-and-white portraits he knows will never be shown in a Chinese gallery. His varied subjects - men and women, young and old, smiling and pensive - have one thing in common: They are Tibetans who have set themselves on fire to protest repressive Chinese rule. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

By GILLIAN WONG | Associated Press – Sat, Jan 12, 2013

BEIJING (AP) — Beijing-based artist Liu Yi is working on a series of black-and-white portraits he knows will never be shown in a Chinese gallery. His varied subjects — men and women, young and old, smiling and pensive — have one thing in common: They are Tibetans who have set themselves on fire to protest repressive Chinese rule.

Liu wants to paint a portrait of each of the hundred-or-so Tibetans who have self-immolated over the past three years, as a way of bearing witness to one of the biggest waves of fiery protests in recent history. With each brushstroke, Liu is making a heartfelt plea: The burning must end.

"When I'm painting, I'm thinking: 'Enough, enough, don't do this anymore. Stop,'" said the soft-spoken artist who has completed 40 so far. "That's enough."

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"I also hope that everyone won't look at it in an ideological or ethnic way, but to pay attention to it from a humanitarian perspective," he said.

More: http://news.yahoo.com/chinese-painter-portrays-tibet-self-immolators-073746075.html

[etherealtruth]

1. "With each brushstroke, Liu is making a heartfelt plea: The burning must end."

K and R