Rainbow Warrior #1

by Britt van Roozendaal · Amersfoort, NL

Realistic oil painting of the activist Mahbub Rabbi Tonoy, murdered in 2016 in Bangladesh by Islamic extremists. Mahbub Tonoy was a prominent advocate for LGBT rights. He regularly assisted in the publication of the magazine Roopbaan, the first LGBT publication in Bangladesh, launched in 2014. On April 25, 2016, Mr. Mahbub Tonoy and his friend and human rights defender Mr. Xulhaz Mannan were murdered by a group of unknown men in their apartment in the Kalabagan area of Dhaka. This painting is one of a series of 6 portraits in memory of brave people who, each in their own way, fought for LGBTI rights. This series is still in development. 2 of the 6 paintings (in different rainbow colors) are not yet finished. Half of the proceeds will be donated to ILGA. The ILGA (International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association) is an international organization dedicated to equal rights for lesbian women, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people, and intersex individuals; and against homophobia and transphobia.