(Minghui.org) In March 2012, the International Truth-Compassion-Tolerance Art Exhibition was held in Glenelg Art Gallery in Adelaide, South Australia. On opening night, Ken Rollond, the Mayor of Holdfast Bay city gave a speech. Many local politicians, artists, and others participated in the event.
Mayor of Holdfast Bay Ken Rollond speaks at the opening of the International Truth-Compassion-Tolerance Art Exhibition in Glenelg Art Gallery, Adelaide, South Australia
Lisa-Maree Haggett, a student in Painting and Art History in the Department of Visual Arts at the University of South Australia, stayed from the beginning of the opening ceremony until the very end. She viewed each painting carefully and talked with the hosting organization staff. She said, “Through their artistic expertise, the eight artists raise awareness of the torture, brutality, and corruption of the Chinese Communist Party towards Falun Dafa practitioners. The mastery and execution of each of the 33 pieces is breathtaking. Their style is reminiscent of the 16th Century Italian Renaissance perfection, its chiaroscuro and infallible life-like rendering of the human figure. Within Yuan Li‘s painting of ‘A Tragedy in China’ and ‘My Son’ by Xiqiang Dong, the powerful emotions of grief and loss of both the mother and the wife penetrates into your heart. Radiating from the gaze of the mother is an abundance of anguish as she stares into your eyes questioning human morality.
“Powerful and thought provoking, the imagery within these paintings is so tangible you feel as though you could reach out to the grief stricken women, orphaned children, captured practitioners and ease their pain, and perhaps more significantly, cease the fatal motion of the doctor’s hands. While empathy pours from your heart for these courageous, devoted practitioners, an emanating radiant power shivers through your body, as though you are inside the scene of the picture frame, absorbing the energy as a silent witness. While these paintings describe such horrific subject matter, there is a spirit and warmth about the artist’s hand, a seemingly peaceful protest through paint.”
In Canada, far from Australia, people are equally moved by these paintings. In May 2012, another showing of the International Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance Art Exhibition was held in the city of Kingston. On May 8, opening day, there was a misty rain. Many people flocked to see the paintings.
Early in the morning, the exhibit was still being hung. Three accomplished artists had already arrived. They carefully viewed each painting. They commented: "Ah, what a beautiful work of art. Look at the eyes and see the expressions." "Look at the crystal teardrop." The three friends came to view the paintings after seeing an ad for the show. As they continued through the exhibition hall, a staff member told some of the stories behind the paintings. They could not wait for the him to unwrap the next picture. They carefully learned about the facts about Falun Dafa.
Standing for a long time in front of the painting “Live Organ Harvesting,” they read the description carefully to understand Falun Dafa and the persecution in China. Those that did not understand asked, “Why is such a good practice persecuted?”
Many viewers left messages in the guestbook: "Very good realistic painting techniques. I appreciate the paintings." "Thank you for organizing the exhibition exposing the persecution. These need to be shown to the world." “These paintings are moving, intertwined with tears and hope."
These exhibitions bring spiritual insight to the viewers, just as Ms. Haggett said in Adelaide: "I would like to close with saying a personal thank-you to the contributing artists, the members of the Falun Gong practice and the Glenelg Art Gallery for sharing such passion, soul, and courage with the community, of which I believe will invoke inspiration within the hearts of many, including myself, to travel a new spiritual path to becoming a better, more self-aware being.”
