The Guilty Will Kneel

Participating artists: Sai —, K,  Ma (Burma); The Gao Brothers (China); Sanmu Chen (Hong Kong); Tenzing Rigdol (Tibet) /  Curator: C&G Artpartment.

The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) presents The Guilty Will Kneel, a group exhibition featuring artists from the Asia-Pacific, including Burma, China, Hong Kong, and Tibet. Held at Atelie in conjunction with the 2025 Oslo Freedom Forum, the exhibition aims to confront authoritarianism directly, without euphemism, serving as an indictment of oppressive regimes. At the same time, it reflects the unwavering resistance and defiance of the seven participating artists against authoritarian rule.  

Among them are three activist-artists from Burma who continue to advocate for human rights and democracy despite the military government’s suppression. Myanmar Junta’s Playbook for Kidnapping, Abduction, Torture, Arbitrary Detention and Extrajudicial Killings (Playbook) by Sai — is a work of piercing satire and heart-wrenching dark humor. Styled as a “manual” for totalitarian regimes, it dissects the mechanics of systematic oppression. Based on in-depth research and reverse-engineered interviews of the survivors, the Playbook exposes the Junta’s human rights abuses. 

If humanity is to be protected, Ma’s film Silent Heroes offers a glimpse of hope. Even amid the brutality of war, courageous individuals continue to resist tyranny. Another video piece by Ma, a visual poem that she began writing when she was imprisoned with only a smuggled pencil, reveals how an artist, though physically confined, refuses to have her voice erased.

The scars of war in Burma extend beyond adults, deeply affecting children. In this exhibition, K presents first-hand drawings by children impacted by the coup. These works speak directly to the world, exposing the military government’s totalitarian suppression and the long-term suffering of innocent lives caught in conflict.

Also on display is the sculpture Mao’s Guilt by the Chinese artist duo Gao Brothers. Last year, the elder brother, Gao Zhen, was arrested and charged with “insulting the reputation of national heroes and martyrs”—a chilling reminder of the cost of dissent in authoritarian states. He remains imprisoned for his past critiques of Mao, yet his defiance endures through his art, which survives in this exhibition.

While Gao’s resistance is not forgotten, totalitarian regimes continually work to erase memories of defiance. Last year, during a public performance, Sanmu Chen was arrested in Hong Kong simply for tracing the numbers “6.4” in the air with his fingers—a silent act commemorating the June 4, 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre. His arrest highlights the absurd reality of Hong Kong under China’s rule, where even an abstract gesture is deemed a threat. 

Also featured are two paintings by Tenzing Rigdol, a second generation of the Tibetan diaspora, who currently resides in the United States. One painting captures the suffocating presence of Chinese control in Tibet, while the other stands as a testament to the resilience of his people. The subject matters of his paintings reveal that, even in exile, the Tibetan diaspora’s cultural identity and resistance endure.

HRF is proud to announce the 2025 cohort of the Art in Protest Residency program in partnership with the UK-based studio, C&G Artpartment. Building on our ongoing collaboration with the prestigious Miami-based Fountainhead Arts, this expansion introduces a strong focus on supporting dissident artists from the Asia-Pacific. The 2025 residency cohort includes the Burmese artists featured in The Guilty Will Kneel group exhibition: Sai —, Ma, and K (pseudonyms for security reasons). 

Throughout the program, the artists will be mentored by an advisory board comprising museum curators and academics, including Hera Chan, adjunct curator at Tate Modern, Dr. Vera Mey, co-artistic director of the 2024 Busan Biennale, and Dr. Wubin Zhuang, scholar with expertise in Southeast Asian photography.  Discussion sessions will connect resident artists with a broader network of artists and activists to explore strategies for advocating for democracy and human rights through art, particularly in the context of the Milk Tea Alliance. Additionally, their residency will culminate in an art exhibition at the Nunnery Gallery in London from May 2 to May 11, 2025.