ARTIST Zhang Cuiying is all too familiar with suppression so it’s hardly
surprising she found a ban on painting “like a death sentence”.
The Bankstown woman was imprisoned in China in 1999 for practising Falun
Dafa, a form of meditation.
Her vocal stance, along with thousands of other Chinese supporting the
activity, sparked outrage from the government.
Zhang, a watercolour artist, was arrested in a park and thrown into jail,
where she continued to practise Falun Dafa.
Her friend Stacey Wang said: “The policeman said he would release her but
when they passed the male cell they threw her in there.”
Without privacy, Zhang was forced to live with a cell full of men. She was
eventually released after an eight-month ordeal and [return] to Sydney.
Art has been her salvation.
Her watercolour paintings feature landscapes, flora and fauna, and
portraits, each one created in the traditional Chinese way of moving the
brush slowly and smoothly.
“Chinese painting demands the painting must represent the inner nature of
the painter,” she said.
“Every brush carries the painter’s own message. So the painter must also
have a high standard of virtue. I use the brush to paint at night. I
couldn’t help feeling a strong sense of inner peace and inspiration.”
She said her displays, which also offer insights into her ordeal, are a
contrast between good and evil.
Posting date: 5/Sep/2003
Original article date: 2/Sep/2003
Category: Media Report
