THE art exhibition that Chinese communist officials pressured US and Korean venue
organisers not to show has now arrived in Cairns.
Uncompromising Courage is
a tribute to the spirit of Falun Gong practitioners who have refused to yield
in the force of intense pressure.
The collaboration of artwork from around
the world reveals the trials of people in labour camps, prisons and mental institutions
and is on display in Cairns until Sunday.
Cairns Falun Gong practitioner
Andrew Toirkens said the collection of 45 award-winning, powerful images provided
an opportunity for people to know the truth behind the treatment of practitioners.
The exhibition was initiated by art professor Kunlun Zhang, who was released
from a forced labour camp in China in 2001 after three months of psychiatric and
physical torture.
Shortly after, he collaborated with more than a dozen
artists from around the world who practise Falun Gong, to create the works in
this exhibition.
"This exhibition is a reminder that Falun Gong practitioners
met persecution with uncompromising courage," Mr Toirkens said.
"They
responded to hatred, inhumane torture and killing with a spirit of great compassion
and forbearance in order to uphold justice, freedom, dignity and humanity.
"This
exhibition will make people aware of the extreme human rights violation that is
happening in China."
Mr Toirkens said there were an estimated three
million Falun Gong practitioners illegally detained in China today.
"We
can prove that there have been 3000 deaths of practitioners through torture, but
the real figure is in the tens of thousands," he said.
"This
blows me out of the water as an Aussie.
"As a human being, I am extremely
disturbed by what’s happening in another country.
"It also disgusts
me that Australian leaders shake hands with the same people who give the order
to murder, rape and torture people."
Mr Toirkens said the exhibition
provided a chance for people to find out the truth about Falun Gong, have their
questions answered and make up their own mind.
"A picture tells a
thousand words," he said.
"These images are extremely powerful.
"Cairns is their last stop before they return to Brisbane, where they
will be on display."
* The Uncompromising Courage exhibition was organised
by the Australian Chinese Cultural and Art Association, assisted by Falun Gong.
It will be on display at The House, 28 Grafton St, opposite the post office, until
September 18, from 9am to 9pm daily.
Posting date: 20/Sep/2005
Original
article date: 16/Sep/2005
Category: Media Report
