At least for a few hours, 15 activists from Bangkok and other areas could relax and “listen” to their bodies and feelings. Amid high pressure, activists and human rights defenders often lack awareness of signs of stress and despair. In the massive protests of 2020-2021 alone, hundreds were injured, over 1,000 faced criminal charges for exercising their freedom of expression and violating “social distancing” measures; still others have disappeared or been killed. Some have turned to substance abuse, leading several activists to withdraw from the movement.
Then they used both hands simultaneously to squiggle freely and to loosen their muscles before drawing or painting what they wished. All the drawings were then placed together to create a big circle, a “Mandala”. The participants then combined a collage of their photos and paintings to create a triptych, or a set of three joined sections, to reflect their past, present and dreams for the future. Their artworks were displayed in the national and regional seminars organised by CrCF and AJAR.
