“真善忍”国际美展作品及内容介绍(English)

From the dawn of antiquity people have probed the profundities and mysteries of life, asking what is man¡¯s place in nature and how the human condition is to be understood. Perhaps nowhere was such inquiry more esteemed than in China¡¯s traditional culture, where man was seen as an integral part of nature. In that culture great consideration was given to the workings of the heavens, the qualities of the land, and harmony between people, and it was in the dynamic balance of such things that the sage sought concordance with Nature. Distilled in three laws, that Nature is: truth, compassion, and tolerance. The wellspring of all that may be called good, these laws lay at the heart of so much that humanity cherishes, be it moral values, freedom, or even peace. They undergird and yet surpass divisions of place and time, culture, the religious and the political. Eternal and ubiquitous, they are the spirit of life itself.

For the artist whose work bespeaks of a search for the true meaning of life, that eulogizes the divine, or grapples with questions even of good and evil, little can it be said that her work is meant merely to please or entertain. She creates, instead, to inspire in the viewer a higher wisdom or truth. The work of art is not here so much material as vehicle, the promise of which is passage to truth. What imbues the true work of art with an enduring, or universal, quality is its capacity to transcend situated, temporal ideas of beauty. It stands capable of cleansing the soul and ennobling the spirit. Only endowed with these traits may a work of art endure the test of time.

The works in this exhibit were created by a diverse group of accomplished artists. Through the practice of Falun Dafa¡ªan ancient Chinese tradition of meditation and self-improvement¡ªthey have gained heath in both body and mind, deepened their grasp of the workings of nature, and found answers to a lifelong search for the greater meanings of art and life. Abiding by the way of truth, compassion, tolerance, they have witnessed their lives opening up to a process of constant renewal in which false notions and attachments molt away in favor a truer, innate self. It is a path of return, they tell, a path of recuperating a lost, higher self. In this exhibit the artists depict a vision of the world, their own first-hand experiences, and what it means to be part of the body of spiritual aspirants who seek to embody and perfect the virtues of truth, compassion, and tolerance.

The exhibit consists of four parts:

Part 1: The Beauty of Self-Cultivation
Part 2: Uncompromising Courage
Part 3: The Call for Justice
Part 4: Justice Prevails

These works poetically suggest the beauty of a life lived in keeping with a higher order¡ªa life elevated by its accord with truth, compassion, tolerance¡ªwhile depicting, in turn, the grim realities of cruel persecution that Falun Dafa has faced at the hands of China¡¯s Communist regime. In several of the latter works one finds a deep conviction in the workings of a higher, moral order, manifest as the meeting out of divine retribution. But amidst the wrenching inhumanity of torture and violence¡ªwhere freedom, dignity, and goodness seem surely eclipsed¡ªwe see ordinary people becoming extraordinary. For here, in the darkest of quarters, the power of principled belief shines forth and empowers the meek with a breadth of mind and stamina far greater than the ordeals forced upon them. Truth, compassion, tolerance is here infused in the very marrow of the wounded, making victor of victim. The message is ultimately one of hope and triumph.

	Art Works	Title/Artist/Art Work Information	Descriptions
Section I: The Beauty of Cultivation
1		Buddha Kunlun Zhang Sculpture Height: 51.5 in (2004)	The artist made this sculpture in the image of the Buddha whom he reveres.
2		Turning the Great Law Wheel Kunlun Zhang Oil on Canvas 82.5 in x 63 in (2004)	This painting depicts the founder of Falun Gong, Mr. Li Hongzhi, before an audience as he "Turns the Great Falun". "Falun" literally means "Law Wheel", a term from Buddhist traditions. One of the meanings of the phrase "Turning the Great Law Wheel" is the actual act of teaching the Great Law of the Universe.
3		Fulfilling Vows Xiaoping Chen, Xiqiang Dong, & Ru yi Oil on Canvas 79 in x 47 in (2003)	The heavenly beings in this painting represent all races and cultures. There are practitioners of spiritual practice of Falun Gong in over 60 countries around the world. Its practitioners represent every ethnic group and every walk of life. Although Falun Gong originated in China, the search for truth and enlightenment is universal.
4		Assimilation Kathleen Gillis Oil on Canvas 32 in x 57.5 in (2004)	The brother and sister in this painting are reading Zhuan Falun, the main book of the Falun Dafa teachings. The spinning, red light above is an expression of the book's enriching teachings. The book has been translated into more than twenty languages.
5		In Harmony Xiaoping Chen Oil on Canvas 47 in x 69 in (2004)	This painting depicts a young woman doing the fifth exercise of Falun Gong, "Way of Strengthening Divine Powers." The clear water and blue sky reflect her tranquility and give a feeling of her union with heaven while she meditates. The four "cultivated infants " play amidst an energy field.
6		Pure Lotus Zhengping Chen Chinese Painting 29 in x 37 in (2004)	The woman in this painting practices the sitting meditation, the fifth exercise of Falun Gong. Lotus flowers blooming around her indicate the purifying effect of the meditation on both mind and body.
Section II: Uncompromising Courage
7		Red Wall Kunlun Zhang Oil on Canvas 36 in x 48 in (2004)	This work records the personal experience and internal turmoil of the artist, Professor Kunlun Zhang. Professor Zhang was imprisoned in China for three months, during which time he experienced physical and mental torture, including brainwashing. The two white Chinese characters "Õòѹ" (meaning "persecution") on the red wall represent the persecution of Falun Gong in China, which is so oppressive that it makes China seem like one big prison. The crack in the wall indicates that despite the red wall's menace and seeming invincibility, its collapse has already begun.
8		Unwavering Spirit Chongqi Yao Oil on Canvas 48 in x 36 in (2004)	This painting is based on a true story as captured by Ian Johnson, a reporter from The Wall Street Journal. In the article, he wrote, "The day before Chen Zixiu died, her captors again demanded that she renounce her faith in Falun Dafa. Barely conscious after repeated jolts from a cattle prod, the 58-year-old stubbornly shook her head. Enraged, the local officials ordered Ms. Chen to run barefoot in the snow. Two days of torture had left her legs bruised and her short black hair matted with pus and blood, said cellmates and other prisoners who witnessed the incident. She crawled outside, vomited and collapsed. She never regained consciousness, and died on Feb. 21."
9		Smoke and Ash Zhiping Wang Pastel on Paper 39 in x 27.5 in (2004)	Besides an iron and cigarettes, prison guards have been known to use hot iron pokers that burn all the way to the bone on people who practice Falun Gong. Jiang Zemin, the former leader of China who is responsible for the persecution of Falun Gong has decreed that "no means are too excessive" to eliminate the practice.
10		Tiger Bench Zhiping Wang Pastel on Paper 39 in x 27.5 in (2004)	This piece depicts a common torture method used to inflict severe, prolonged pain. Bricks are stacked beneath the feet while ropes tying the legs down are pulled taut, bringing the legs to the point of breaking. The artist has given both men an ethereal halo - one bright, one dark and ghostly. The stark difference suggests what might be awaiting both men after this lifetime based on the choices they have made.
11		Torture of a Woman Zhiping Wang Pastel on Paper 39 in x 27.5 in (2004)	Accounts by female prisoners of conscience who have lived through torture in Chinese detention centers detail horrendous physical and sexual torture by not only prison guards, but prison inmates as well. It has been reported that some women who practice Falun Gong have been stripped naked and locked into male prison cells.
12		Abuse Zhiping Wang Pastel on Paper 37 in x 25.5 in (2004Äê)	The scene in this painting is based on a true story about an American Falun Gong practitioner who traveled to China to appeal to the Chinese government to stop its persecution of Falun Gong. She was arrested, physically abused by police, and then was expelled from China.
13		Like a Stone Zhiping Wang Pastel on Paper 39 in x 27.5 in (2004)	With this torture method, sharp bamboo sticks are jammed underneath the fingernails. This method has been used on Falun Gong practitioners. In this depiction, even though the pain is excruciating, the practitioner endures.
14		Force Feeding Weixing Wang Oil on Canvas 22 in x 30 in (2004)	Once in jail and subjected to brutal torture, brainwashing and forced labor, Falun Gong practitioners have no means of appeal other than a hunger strike. Prison guards often use force-feeding as a form of torture. During force feedings, the guards hold down the victim and pry open the mouth with metal clamps. They then force a course rubber tube down the esophagus or insert a tube through the nostrils. They pour in substances such as a mixture of water and cornmeal, concentrated salt solutions, hot chili paste and even human excretory waste. The intention is to inflict pain so as to break the will. Such torture is extremely painful and is the most common cause of death.
15		Inhumane Xiaoping Chen Oil on Canvas 22 in x 30 in (2004)	Prison guards are submerging a man's head into a bucket of human feces. One of the guards covers his own nose because of the odor. A pregnant female Falun Gong practitioner is hanging in the background.
16		Psychiatric Abuse Xiaoping Chen Oil on Canvas 40 in x 30 in (2004)	To turn public opinion against Falun Gong, China's state-run media disseminates false propaganda that claims people who practice Falun Gong will turn psychotic. The policemen in this picture inject psychotropic drugs into the woman because she refuses to give up her beliefs. The drugs may cause slurred speech, paralysis or even death.
17		Unmovable Amy Fan Chinese Painting 34 in x 55 in (2004)	This Chinese painting shows a woman in meditation who is unmoved by police who are trying to arrest her. Angels are trying to restrain the policemen. The artist paints from personal experience, having endured the violence of the persecution. She was detained several times before she was finally able to escape from China.
18		Group Torture Zhiping Wang Pastel on Paper 22 in x 22 in (2004)	The men torturing this young woman are Chinese prison guards and prison inmates, working in concert. The extreme weight on her lower abdomen severely inhibits the practitioner¡¯s breathing and can result in paralysis.
19		Relentless Zhiping Wang Pastel on Paper 22 in x 30 in (2004Äê)	This is a scene from a Chinese detention center, where prison guards are given directives to "transform" people who practice Falun Gong; that is, force them to renounce their beliefs. When brainwashing classes do not work, practitioners are subjected to relentless beating and torture, sometimes unto death.
20		A Tragedy in China Yuan Li Oil on Canvas 46 in x 36 in (2004)	A wife weeps beside her husband, who has been tortured to death at a brainwashing center. He holds in his hand a document that he was forced to sign, a pledge that defames Falun Gong.
21		"Cage" Kunlun Zhang Sculpture Height: 35 in (2004)	While being detained, Falun Gong practitioners are forced to squat on their heels or on tiny stools with ridges on them day and night without being allowed to move or speak.
22		Come Back Daddy Weixing Wang Oil on Canvas 22 in x 30 in (2004)	Come Back Daddy is based on a true story of a mother and daughter. The young girl, Fadu, holds a commemorative picture of her father, Chen Chengyong, who died from torture because he practiced Falun Gong. Fadu and her mother, Zizheng Dai now live in Australia.
23		Why? Weixing Wang Oil on Canvas 52 in x 68.5 in (2004)	This painting is based on a true story. A mother and son were arrested in China simply because they practice Falun Gong. Being beaten, the boy held back his tears asking: Why? Why did the policemen beat my mom and me?
24		Homeless Daci Shen Oil on Canvas 36 in x 48 in (2003)	This painting depicts a scene in which a little girl comes home from school only to find her parents gone. The two pieces of white paper on the door are official notices stating that the house has been condemned by the "610 Office," a Gestapo-like organization set up specifically to target Falun Gong. The red paper on the door reads "Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance."
25		Golden Lotus Daci Chen Oil on Canvas 69 in x 43 in (2004)	The inspiration for this painting came from a true story that has raised an international outcry. A young mother named Lixuan Wang and her 7-month-old son were both tortured to death after they were arrested for practicing Falun Gong. Autopsy reports revealed that the baby had been hung upside down and his skull had been crushed.
26		Memorial Chongqi Yao Oil on Canvas 110 in x 42 in (2004)	This painting is in remembrance of some of the more than 1200 Falun Gong practitioners who are known to have died under the brutal repression. The artist said, "I painted the faces of 280 practitioners to let more people see these good people and to help stop this persecution. Look at how happy they were! They were all very good people in the society. Whenever I think of them, I cannot hold back my tears¡­you know, some of them were only seventeen or eighteen years old when they were tortured to death."
Section IV:Calling for Justice
27		Banner Xiqiang Dong Oil on Canvas 48 in x 36 in (2004)	The young woman is sewing a banner with the words "Falun Dafa is Good" in both Chinese and English.
28		Lotus Candle Xiaoping Chen Oil on Canvas 40 in x 39.5 in (2004)	Numerous candlelight vigils have been held around the world to remember Falun Gong practitioners who have died from torture. The lotus flower is a symbol of enduring beauty and purity in Chinese culture.
29		Coming for You Yixiu Zhou, Xiaping Chen Oil on Canvas 51 in x 64 in (2004)	This painting is inspired by a photograph taken of thirty-three practitioners of Falun Gong from all over the world who coordinated a peaceful appeal to the Chinese Government on Tiananmen Square. Moments after the photograph was taken, they were thrown into police vans, many were beaten and then all were expelled from China.
30		Calling for Justice Xiqiang Dong Oil on Canvas 48 in x 36 in (2004)	This painting depicts a scene that can be seen in front of Chinese embassies and consulates all around the world. The women in this picture practice their meditation in front of the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., calling for Jiang Zemin to be brought to justice his attempted eradication of Falun Gong practitioners. These women go to appeal there every day, rain or shine.
31		"SOS" Yanying Wang Chinese Painting 25 in x 37 in (2003)	In the Chinese landscape painting, walking through the mountains are men and women taking part in a human rights "SOS" campaign that has been carried out around the world to raise awareness about the genocide of Falun Gong in China.
32		Uncompromising Courage Kathleen Gillis Oil on Canvas 32 in x 57.5 in (2004)	This painting was based on a true story of Mr. Liu Chengjun. Mr. Liu Chengjun was a Falun Gong practitioner from northern China. In March 2002, he was sentenced to 19 years in prison for his involvement in broadcasting programs that exposed the brutality of the persecution against Falun Gong on Chinese television. After 21 months in prison, he was tortured to death. Demonic and monster-like images on the floor represent the horrors he endured while in detention. He is bathed in warm, golden light that represents a resilient faith.
33		Righteous Actions Ruizhen Gu Chinese Painting 18 in x 28 in (2003)	This Chinese painting depicts a scene in a moonlit night in a small village, where a grandmother and her grandchild post messages that tell the truth about the persecution against Falun Gong to their neighbors. The disc-like objects in the sky are Falun, the symbol of Falun Gong.
34		A Spring Morning in a Town Ruizhen Gu Chinese Painting 20 in x 28 in (2003)	The traditional Chinese painting depicts a spring morning in a town when people wake up to find walls posted with signs about Falun Gong. The people read them intently, seeing through the Chinese government's propaganda.
35		Waist Drum Xiaoping Chen Color Pencil on Paper 32.5 in x 41 in (2003)	In many major cities around the world, people who practice Falun Gong participate in parades to celebrate traditional Chinese culture. The artist has drawn celestial beings playing amidst the clouds, echoing the unified beat from below.
36		Beauty Coming From the West CHEN Zhuli Chinese painting (2004)	This painting was done with small Chinese paint brushes that capture fine details and makes use of a color palette of a gentle layer of blue and green over ink water colors, which is a relatively more traditional Chinese painting style. Its view is high and afar, meaning it moves from the bottom to the top and from the outside to the inside. The painting was completed starting at the bottom and then moved to the top. In the painting, a beautiful lady in Tang Dynasty attire is seen holding a pipa, a traditional Chinese string instrument. She has a white rabbit and a bow next to her feet. The rabbit symbolizes the fact that Falun Dafa has been taught and spread by a holy person who was born in the Year of the Rabbit. The lady is seen holding a pipa, indicating that Falun Dafa has used only peaceful means to clarify the facts. The title ¡°Beauty Coming from the West¡± has the surface meaning of a lady from the West clarifying the facts, but it represents Falun Dafa practitioners all over the world.
37		Wei Jane Chir Copper plate, photo, aquatint etching A book with 9 images and 7 passages (2004)	The Gate of Heavenly Peace was printed during a residency at the Women's Studio Workshop in Ronsendale, New York. The images are hand printed photo etchings on German etching paper. The book has a total of 9 images and 7 written passages. There are a total of six editions completed with the wooden box. This project was funded by the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, and completed at Women's Studio Workshop.
Section V:Justice Prevails
38		A Battle Between Good and Evil Zhiping Wang Oil on Canvas 66 in x 79 in (2003)	The man and woman in the forefront hold signs that read "Truth, Compassion, Tolerance," and "The Law rectifies the universe." The spirits of the plainclothes policemen bow before their victims, suggesting that the police have been deluded by higher authorities into carrying out orders against their own conscience.
39		The Heavens Speak Kathleen Gillis Oil on Canvas 32 in x 57.5 in (2004)	This painting illustrates the artist's personal experience. When China's former leader, Jiang Zemin, visited Houston, Texas in October 2002, thousands of people who practice Falun Gong went there to appeal for an end to the persecution. During their appeal, practitioners withstood several days of severe, cold weather and heavy rains. The practitioners refused to be affected by the weather and stood their ground. Finally the storm cleared and a huge rainbow appeared in the sky. This painting captures that moment.
40		Peoples¡¯ Tribunal Kathleen Gillis Oil on Canvas 32 in x 57.5 in (2004)	This painting depicts a public mock tribunal held in Ottawa, Canada in which China¡¯s former leader, Jiang Zemin, was tried and convicted for genocide of Falun Gong and crimes against humanity. More than a dozen actual lawsuits have been filed around the world by victims of Jiang's genocide of Falun Gong.
41		Justice Weixing Wang Oil on Canvas 52 in x 68.5 in (2003)	Heavenly beings look on as the representative of evil is extinguished. The work reflects an understanding that evil actions will result in retribution in higher realms.
42		Positioning Kunlun Zhang Oil on Canvas 67 in x 117 in (2003)	This painting captures multiple images of peaceful appeals to the Chinese government on Tiananmen Square in Beijing. Falun Gong practitioners carry signs that read "Falun Dafa is Good" while policemen and plain-clothed guards violently arrest them. Heavenly beings from Eastern and Western traditions are represented looking on.