(Clearwisdom.net) The Truth-Compassion-Forbearance Art Exhibition was held in a gallery on September 2, 2010 in the city of Figline Valdarno, Florence, Italy during the traditional religious celebration called "Il Perdono" (Forgiveness). The exhibition lasted through September 7 and several hundred people visited it. Many visitors left their comments in the guest book.

The opening ceremony

Mr Riccardo Nocentini, mayor of Figline Valdarno, opens the exhibition

One of the organizers of the exhibition, Ms. Gaia with her father, Mr. Giovanni

Mayor Mr. Nocentini says he had a positive impression after visiting the exhibition

People view the paintings

People view the paintings

The art exhibition has been held in more than 200 cities in some 40 countries since 2004. The exhibition in Figline Valdarno was organized by the Italian Falun Dafa Association and was brought to this area for the first time. Thirty two paintings were displayed inside the exhibition room of a local Franciscan church.

At the opening ceremony the mayor of Figline Valdarno, Mr. Riccardon Nocentini, gave a speech: "I am personally grateful to the Falun Dafa practitioners involved in this project, since they shed light on the issue of human rights abuse in China. When they proposed this exhibition I immediately agreed. The opening of this exhibition is also on the same day of the beginning of 'Il Perdono', one of our most important traditional celebrations. I am sure many people will have the opportunity to come and see the exhibition. Therefore they will be touched by the paintings and think about what's going on in China right now, when we talk about Falun Gong."

Among the guests was a local artist, painter and sculptor, who commented on the exhibition, "I think this exhibition carries a very strong message and reaches the goal of showing the courage which arise from faith, when facing arduous challenges. Employing traditional methods, such as oil painting, allows people from every walk of life to understand the meaning of the paintings. My favorite one is 'In Harmony". The use of the blue and sky-blue links the ocean and the sky. It is indeed very harmonious, and reflects the beauty and peace reached by the person who is meditating."

Mr. Giovanni, who works as an architect in Florence, came to see the exhibition with his daughter Gaia, who practices Falun Gong and studies Fine Art at the Academy in Florence.

"The exhibition is wonderful," said Mr. Giovanni "The different topics are universal, like the struggle between good and evil and the courage needed when things get tough. What really hit me the most is seeing how the characters in the frescos on the wall (datable around the 15^th century) are watching in dismay what's happening in the paintings. The angels and the saints in the frescos all carry a facial expression like they've been waiting to see these paintings for a long time, yet they can't stand it."

Gaia, who took part in organizing the exhibition, said, "When we saw the possibility of showing the paintings I felt like it was a big opportunity. I mean the exhibition is so powerful and the meaning is so important right now. I think that people will be moved deep down, looking at the cruelty of this senseless persecution compared to the upright courage of practitioners. I believe that promoting traditional methods is the right way to establish again the true meaning of Art: to present to the public higher values and principles, through an aesthetic sense of true beauty."

Mr Riccardo Nocentini, after watching the exhibition wanted to share his thoughts: "Now that I've seen the paintings I can tell I got a very positive impression overall. Depicting real scenes of people standing up for their right to believe and refusing to give in made me think that even in front of a big country like China we must uphold the freedom of thought and faith. I also think that inside every one of us there's something that nobody can take away, something that allows us to reach, as Falun Dafa teaches, Truth-Benevolence-Forbearance."