An Australian man is being held on death row in Indonesia and facing imminent execution. A unique exhibition of his works is held in London at Amnesty International UK headquarters. Living under a sentence of death for a decade has drastically influenced the artist Myuran Sukumaran.
© Photo : Amnesty International UK"Self". An exhibition of the artwork of Myuran Sukumaran, an Australian man being held on death row in Indonesia and facing imminent execution, is to be held at Amnesty International’s London headquarters, in Shoreditch this week.
![Art Before Death: Painting the Plight of Australian Facing Execution Art Before Death: Painting the Plight of Australian Facing Execution - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102098/46/1020984693_0:0:770:960_600x0_80_0_1_4dd56dcbf63888c26a093a566ec88c5a.jpg)
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© Photo : Amnesty International UK
"Self". An exhibition of the artwork of Myuran Sukumaran, an Australian man being held on death row in Indonesia and facing imminent execution, is to be held at Amnesty International’s London headquarters, in Shoreditch this week.
© Photo : Amnesty International UK “Grandpa, the last day”. Myuran Sukumaran, known as “Myu” painted all the artworks during his 10 years on death row. The haunting oil paintings show the evolution of his artistic skill as well as the emotional torture he has experienced living under a sentence of death for a decade.
![Art Before Death: Painting the Plight of Australian Facing Execution Art Before Death: Painting the Plight of Australian Facing Execution - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102098/50/1020985046_0:0:812:960_600x0_80_0_1_4e851038c37615336631f769fd18b4a2.jpg)
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© Photo : Amnesty International UK
“Grandpa, the last day”. Myuran Sukumaran, known as “Myu” painted all the artworks during his 10 years on death row. The haunting oil paintings show the evolution of his artistic skill as well as the emotional torture he has experienced living under a sentence of death for a decade.
© Photo : Amnesty International UK"Babi 4". Mr Sukumaran, who was himself born in London, was convicted for his role in a failed heroin-smuggling plot in 2005, as part of a group known as the "Bali Nine".
![Art Before Death: Painting the Plight of Australian Facing Execution Art Before Death: Painting the Plight of Australian Facing Execution - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102100/77/1021007700_0:0:809:960_600x0_80_0_1_4acb93dc657e6e95cc2aba00c8381b8d.jpg)
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© Photo : Amnesty International UK
"Babi 4". Mr Sukumaran, who was himself born in London, was convicted for his role in a failed heroin-smuggling plot in 2005, as part of a group known as the "Bali Nine".
© Photo : Amnesty International UK"Grandma, the last day". He has now been moved to Indonesia’s notorious "execution island" where he is due to be executed by firing squad. In Indonesia, a condemned prisoner has the “choice” of standing or sitting and whether to have their eyes covered by a blindfold or by a hood.
![Art Before Death: Painting the Plight of Australian Facing Execution Art Before Death: Painting the Plight of Australian Facing Execution - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102100/80/1021008095_0:0:784:960_600x0_80_0_1_7cc16c7270f1ae2c474162486a4226dd.jpg)
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© Photo : Amnesty International UK
"Grandma, the last day". He has now been moved to Indonesia’s notorious "execution island" where he is due to be executed by firing squad. In Indonesia, a condemned prisoner has the “choice” of standing or sitting and whether to have their eyes covered by a blindfold or by a hood.
© Photo : Amnesty International UK"Babi 4". Firing squads are made up of 12 people, three of whose rifles are loaded with live ammunition, while the other nine rifles contain blanks. The squad fires from a distance of between five and ten metres.
![Art Before Death: Painting the Plight of Australian Facing Execution Art Before Death: Painting the Plight of Australian Facing Execution - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102100/85/1021008517_0:0:780:960_600x0_80_0_1_8555c7edf1d31c7afd180855511fe17f.jpg)
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© Photo : Amnesty International UK
"Babi 4". Firing squads are made up of 12 people, three of whose rifles are loaded with live ammunition, while the other nine rifles contain blanks. The squad fires from a distance of between five and ten metres.
© Photo : Amnesty International UK"Self Portrait". The works on display are mostly oil portraits on canvas inspired by his mentor, award-winning Australian artist Ben Quilty.
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© Photo : Amnesty International UK
"Self Portrait". The works on display are mostly oil portraits on canvas inspired by his mentor, award-winning Australian artist Ben Quilty.
© Photo : Amnesty International UK"Babi 1". The works get markedly darker in recent weeks, since Sukumaran’s appeal was rejected.
![Art Before Death: Painting the Plight of Australian Facing Execution Art Before Death: Painting the Plight of Australian Facing Execution - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102100/91/1021009116_0:0:960:906_600x0_80_0_1_511f53e9f648e0afdb6b1e5a8163b03f.jpg)
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© Photo : Amnesty International UK
"Babi 1". The works get markedly darker in recent weeks, since Sukumaran’s appeal was rejected.
© Photo : Amnesty International UK"It’s clear painting has been a vital comfort for him on death row," says Myuran Sukumaran’s cousin says.
![Art Before Death: Painting the Plight of Australian Facing Execution Art Before Death: Painting the Plight of Australian Facing Execution - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102100/92/1021009261_0:0:960:720_600x0_80_0_1_95726c17ad28756a75e86b63ec4b4595.jpg)
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© Photo : Amnesty International UK
"It’s clear painting has been a vital comfort for him on death row," says Myuran Sukumaran’s cousin says.
© Photo : Amnesty International UK"Mum". "The death penalty is never the answer and I don’t believe it deters crime."
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© Photo : Amnesty International UK
"Mum". "The death penalty is never the answer and I don’t believe it deters crime."
© Photo : Amnesty International UK"Gek". The exhibition will be held at Amnesty International’s Human Rights Action Centre, 17 - 25 New Inn Yard, London, EC2A 3EA from Monday 13 - Friday 17 April.
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© Photo : Amnesty International UK
"Gek". The exhibition will be held at Amnesty International’s Human Rights Action Centre, 17 - 25 New Inn Yard, London, EC2A 3EA from Monday 13 - Friday 17 April.