2010年1月10日 星期日

All for Liu Xiaobo




Banner Portrait 布本畫像
北京作家劉曉波因參與起草和聯署呼籲中國進行憲政改革的《O八憲章》及撰寫六篇評論文章,被當局指為「煽動顛覆國家政權」,於2009年12月25日被判囚十一年。
一星期後,在香港2010年元旦大遊行中,市民上街爭取真普選,並要求立即釋放劉曉波。
這次元旦大遊行催生了巨幅劉曉波畫像。像高2.2公尺,用紅白油漆畫在黑布上。

Liu Xiaobo, a prominent Beijing writer, was sentenced on 25 December 2009 by the authorities to 11 years' imprisonment for 'inciting subversion of state power' by drafting and signing the Charter 08, a manifesto for constitutional reform in China, and writing six commentaries.
On the following new year day, in a pro-democracy march, people in Hong Kong took to the streets calling for the introduction of genuine universal suffrage and the immediate release of Liu.
A huge banner portrait of Liu Xiaobo was painted for the 1 January march. The 2.2-metre portrait was painted on the new year eve with red and white paints on black cotton cloth.

* * * * *
I am going to post the banner portrait of Liu Xiaobo onto my website. How did it come forth? I think a simple way to tell the story is to take the liberty of extracting a few lines from the exchange of emails among some friends before the new year march of 1/1/2010. -- Fong So

26/12/2009
An article about Liu Xiaobo. 11 years....

What a Xmas. The pope knocked down by a mentally unstable woman. Liu XB sentenced to 11 years by an even more unstable regime....

... an article from yujie, an intellectual who has signed the 08 charter, please distribute. make sure you finish reading if you think i am being "festively incorrect"....

... I am not a believer in God. Still, Yu's article makes me think of a quotation:
"Quos deus vult perdere, prius dementat." (Whom God wishes to destroy, he first makes mad.)

... a lawyer friend sent me the same quotation....

28/12/2009
... we are walking for lxb on the new year day. What's the quickest way to get a banner done?...

... make a DIY one....


29/12/2009
... hay, someone is volunteering to paint a banner for us....

30/12/2009
... my artist friend is going to paint a big spreadsheet banner to be held by 8 people. i am now going to western to shop and manufacture with him this big piece of black cloth and his tools... a few of us will meet with whoever we know and trust on the way... do let me know if you are interested.
......
*please email friends to ask them to come to march for liu xb.


31/12/2009
... he has been hard at work since 7pm last night on the piece of black cloth we bought.... do you know how to post it on youtube? please advise.

... he's finished the painting 6ftx27ft, his best piece i've seen. do come to see it. tomorrow is chater road, not garden, you cannot miss us.

... I will look around for the banner, and if not, call your mobile. May I contribute to the cost of the banner or any other small flags/stickers, etc.?