Press Release







International Art Exhibition

Time & Dates:
22nd May - 11th July 2010
Sat & Sun 10am - 5pm
31 Marina Square, Waterfront, Brighton Marina. BN2 5WA
Look for the courtyard with the fountain off Mariner’s Quay.
Weekdays by Appointment Only (Tel: 07946 591198)

Media Day:
19th May 2pm – 4pm




The Art of Truth, Compassion, Tolerance International Art Exhibition opens an inspiring and intimate window into ancient and contemporary China.

In their realistic oil paintings and Chinese watercolours, the mostly Chinese artists, portray the story of Falun Gong – a traditional Chinese self-improvement practice.

At the heart of the exhibition stand the universal values of Falun Gong – truth, compassion and tolerance. The paintings show how the practice of Falun Gong has changed people’s lives. Some of the paintings also give accounts of those who have in the last 10 years been persecuted by the Chinese communist dictatorship for practicing this spiritual discipline.

Professor Zhang Kunlun, founder of the exhibition and former Director of the Institute of Sculpture at the Institute of Art in Shandong, himself a practitioner of Falun Gong, said:
“Our art comes from a pure heart and our work reflects our personal experience. Art is able to greatly influence the way people think and it also directly connects with human morality. And the two interact.”

Dr Zhang was detained for three months in a labour camp in China, simply because he believes in truthfulness, compassion and tolerance. In 2004, he started to work with other artists who practise Falun Gong to create this exhibition. United by similar or parallel experiences, the artists each wanted to use their art to tell their story, speak out and call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.

Since 2004, the exhibition has toured some 200 cities in 40 countries in Europe, the Americas, Asia and Australia. In that time, the exhibition received numerous proclamations and letters of support from various government offices and other organisations.

“This is a unique exhibition. These paintings express both, the inner life of a Falun Gong practitioner and the shocking human rights tragedy that is currently unfolding in China, Our exhibition is a rare opportunity to see the art that has moved and inspired so many people around the world.”
Eddie Aitken, the promoter and co-director of Zhen Shan Ren Art Exhibition (UK).

The paintings show the steadfast spirit of those who remain compassionate and tolerant under such harsh persecution. The story portrayed is one of beauty, courage, and justice. And the message is one of hope and triumph.

Entry to the exhibition is free. For further information visit: www.falunart.org.

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This exhibition includes the works of Xiaoping Chen, Dr Xiqiang Dong, Tingyin Shi, Zhengping Chen, Kathleen Gillis, Yuan Li, Daci Shen, Ruizhen Gu and Dr Kunlun Zhang.

The exhibition is presented in conjunction with the Falun Gong Association (UK).

For further information:

Joy Chow Mobile: 07946 591 198 e-mail:  joyfelix3@msn.com

Website: www.falunart.org.



Notes to Editors

Biographies of selected artists

Kunlun Zhang
A prisoner of conscience in China in 2001, Kunlun Zhang is one of contemporary China’s most accomplished sculptors. Zhang is a graduate of the Sculpture Department of the Art Institute of China, and alongside sculpture he specialises in oil painting and Chinese painting. Zhang has served as Director of the Sculpture Institute of the Shandong Art Institute, as well as Director of its Sculpture Research Institute. Zhang has exhibited in China and worldwide and has received many awards. He is listed in Who’s Who in the World, The Encyclopaedia of Outstanding Chinese, Collected Works of the World’s Sculpture and other publications.

Xiaoping Chen
Born in China, Michelle Xiaoping Chen is an accomplished painter and has lived in Canada for the last several years. She studied watercolour and ceramics at the University of Mariana and has shown her work in private exhibitions. Her work has been reproduced in a variety of media, including in art calendars, book illustrations and book covers. Having received many awards in China, in 1998 Chen was named as “Outstanding Artist” by the governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Chen was the Gold prize winner of the NTDTV Chinese International Figure Painting Competition in 2009.

Xiqiang Dong
Xiqiang Dong is an accomplished painter with degrees from the Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts and the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing. Formerly Professor and the resident artist at the Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts he was also an artist at China’s Central Institute of Fine Art. Dong has received many awards for his work, winning the highest honours at the prestigious National Arts Gallery in China in 1993.


Worldwide exhibitions
The first exhibition in Europe was in Geneva in March 2005 and by December 2009 some 147 exhibitions took place in 25 European countries. In UK there have been exhibitions in London, Cambridge, Reading, Plymouth, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen.


Link to Media report
 http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/ns_europe/2010-02-09/486202920481.html

Some comments from visitors’ books

Burgh House, Hampstead, February 2010
“Awe-inspiring and very moving”
“Shocking, but profoundly moving”
“Excellent – inspiring”
“Beautiful and touching”
“A very touching experience”
“Beautiful, haunting yet powerful”
“Inspiringly spiritual”
“A moving exhibition with beautiful paintings”

Westminster, July 20th 2009
“Very beautiful paintings, inspiring spiritually.”
“The truth behind the artwork is almost too shocking to believe, it is crucial that we speak out about such injustice.”
“Fascinating and very sad.”
“Very emotional – totally shocked to hear about the persecution.”

Plymouth, October 2007
“A truly beautiful exhibition.”
“Extremely moving. Thank you.”
“Very emotive exhibition. It puts one’s life into perspective.”
“Very thought provoking. Thank you.”
“Informative – inspiring to think that people still have the courage to stand against persecution.”