(Clearwisdom.net) The "Art of Truth-Compassion-Forbearance" collection was displayed in an exhibit that opened on July 24 in the city of Uddevalla, located on the west coast of Sweden. Many of the paintings on display had not been shown before in Sweden.

 
Visitors tour the exhibit on opening night

The art exhibit has been shown in more than 200 cities in some 40 countries since 2004. The exhibit in Uddevalla was organised by the Swedish Falun Dafa Association. The exhibit features paintings by Falun Dafa practitioners from around the world. Four of the artists have personally experienced the brutal campaign of intimidation, propaganda and violence in China, just like millions of other Falun Gong practitioners.

In an attempt to put an end to the inhuman oppression of the peaceful practice of Falun Gong, art professor Zhang Kunlun and several artists formed a group and agreed to express their personal understandings of life and the universe through art. This reflects what they have come to learn through their practice of Falun Gong. Their work also serves to expose the horrific atrocities of the persecution of Falun Gong in China. The exhibition consists of 61 paintings in total. In Uddevalla, 30 of these paintings were on display.

The opening of the exhibit was attended by Swedish sculptor and Falun Gong practitioner Mrs. Ann Carlsson Korneev. Special guests included the Mayor of Uddevalla, Mr. Essam El-Naggar.

"What is unique with this art exhibition is that it is a living project where new paintings are created all the time. Most of the paintings that now appear in Uddevalla have not previously been exhibited in Sweden or Scandinavia," noted Mrs. Carlsson Korneev.

The paintings' depictions of Falun Gong practitioners who are tortured and beaten to death in Chinese prisons leave no one who sees them untouched.

 
The painting My son shows a heartbroken mother who is holding her beloved son in her arms, a son who is now dead. The mother's worn face bears witness to the silent suffering of so many family members of victims have to endure in China.

"One need not be art expert to understand that this is about people who are oppressed and who not allowed to even speak out through something as beautiful as art. So I think China has some things left to do. I hope the democratic process in China will continue to be strengthened and that they do not give up. Then I think China will do well and the Chinese people will feel good. China affects so many others. If China becomes a democratic country, it will have good effects in the whole world," said Mr El-Naggar in an interview with The Epoch Times.

Mayor of Uddevalla Mr. Essam El-Naggar and Mrs. Ann Carlsson Korneev

Mr El-Naggar condemns the persecution of Falun Gong.

"It is not right that we should not believe, and it shows the weakness of the Chinese regime. If you are afraid of something that is harmless and that is beautiful, it shows that you do not believe in yourself and that you do not have self-confidence, that you are weak in your own convictions. "

Most of the artworks are oil paintings painted according to the style used during the Renaissance. Another one of the initiators of the exhibition, Annika Sallander, who is an artist, told the Epoch Times that this is important when it comes to understanding the artworks.

"I think the message is coming up very clearly in this painting style. It reaches more people, everyone can easily see what the paintings want to tell because the message is so important. The exhibition is different, it is very bright and hopeful, it shows that there is light in life".

Since the exhibition started, many people have shown great interest, as well as the local media. Most visitors are very touched by the beautiful paintings that express peace and harmony.

Many visitors have thanked the Swedish practitioners for organising the exhibition and expressed that they are often touched to the heart. A middle-aged man who has seen the exhibition for the second time said: "Now we have the opportunity in Sweden to wake up from our beauty sleep."

A young woman from Uddevalla, Ms Matilda, who came to the gallery with his younger brother, said her mother had advised her to see the exhibition.

After seeing the exhibition, she wrote the following in the guestbook: "I came here to watch an exhibition of paintings and heard a great story about something I did not know. An exhibition that touches you. Both good and evil. Thanks for an enthralling exhibition, both beautiful pictures and a story behind them."

Mr Bengt, an elderly gentleman who, among other things, has worked as a teacher, had not really understood why Falun Gong practitioners are persecuted in China in the past and therefore wrote the following in the guestbook:

"A warm thanks for a very interesting time, and the information about Falun Gong, but it is unfortunate, the crime that the Chinese government exercises against innocent Falun Gong practitioners, especially in China."

He added that he wanted to come and learn Falun Gong because he felt it would suit him.

Many visitors who pass the art gallery look first at the eight paintings in the display window, and then decide to come inside to see more. Some say that they had passed by several times and felt "caught" by the paintings. Many like to have the guided tour offered to get a better understanding and learn more about the artists.

The art exhibition will continue until August 14, 2010.

More information on: www.falunart.org