In Germany, “Dabei sein ist alles“ is the unofficial slogan of big sport events like the Olympic Games – roughly translated: it is more important to take part or be part of something big than anything else. The idea came about during the Winter Olympic Games 2022 in China.

At the motives centre stands China’s supreme leader Xi Jinping holding shackles, attached to his left are Tibet, the Uighurs and most recently Hong Kong. To his right, a shackle lies on the floor, waiting to catch the next “member”: Taiwan, depicted in the person of Taiwan’s president Tsai Ing-wen. The picture is painted in a tucked away place of the gigantic hall where this year’s ibug is taking place. Just as the painting, Taiwan’s struggle for independence seems to be hidden away, as countries like Germany still do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state but play into China’s interpretation of it being a separatist province.

Painted during ibug 2023