actualités

à venir

archives

galerie

éditions

infos pratiques

contact

/biographie/

1100 Tokens
by Andie Scott © 2007/9

Biographie

1100 tokens forms part of Andie Scott’s ‘World Tragedy’ series. These installations and paintings challenge the way the news and media moves from one tragic situation to another filling us with emotions and a desire to act. The "sound bites" of the world move on and we are expected to as well.

These paintings are concerned with mark-making that transcends the media hype and keeps in our minds the outrage that we felt when it was called ‘breaking news’. The vibrant eyecatching colours and ecconomic linework draw the spectator into the works 1100 monks and many political activists were arrested in Mayanmar (Burma) between August and November 2007.

Andie felt compelled to produce an installation to express her horror at what had happened. This installation has developed with the more detailed research into Burma’s regime over the last few months. There are always at least 1100 political activists in Burmese prisons, some may be released while others newly arrested. Lack of medicine, torture inhumane living conditions and forced labour are reported.

Many of the monk’s portraits have been drawn from pictures taken by the world press of the demonstrations in august & September 2007. All these press pictures were used by the Military dictatorship to assist with arrests which shows how the media while highlighting a cause may hinder it too.

Around 700 portraits have been completed to date. The 30th anniversary of the 1988 uprising last year and continued imprisonment of the pro-democracy leaders mean the work continues to be current news although not covered in newspapers or T.V

Each painting measures 5" x 4" and is oil on canvas.

The small Buddha icons symbolize the lost dignity of the Burmese people and the reason why they risk imprisonment to highlight their cause on the world stage.

People there are starving in order to maintain their religious duty of providing for the Buddhist monks. The monks marched this year in order to express their disappointment and that they now would not accept food from the people.

Everyone believed that the monks would not be harmed however that is not what transpired.