(Minghui.org) The Art of Zhen Shan Ren International Exhibition was held in Athens, Greece, for eight days, ending on November 21, 2024. The 30 paintings on display expressed the peaceful demeanor of Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa) practitioners and reflected their tenacity despite the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) ongoing brutal persecution.

The exhibition was held at the Blender Gallery in Gkyfada, a southern suburb of the capital city of Athens. A large, wealthy residential area, Gkyfada has a well-equipped beach and golf course. The Blender Gallery is on the south side of the commercial district, a quiet location in a bustling city and well known to locals.

The Art of Zhen Shan Ren International Exhibition at the Blender Gallery in Gkyfada, Athens

Fe (left), Panagiora (middle), and their companion view the paintings.

When Fe saw Falun Gong practitioners doing the exercises as she passed by the exhibition hall, she remembered she’d seen them in the past. That evening, she and her companions visited the hall.

Ms. Fe wrote in the guestbook: “Amazing—a very eye-opening exhibition. Congratulations to the coordinators that brought to light something so tragic and unfair. Under other circumstances, people in other countries would not have been informed about [what is going on in China] and the darkness of the officials. I hope with my whole heart that justice will be served.”

Her companion Panagiora wrote, “Such a moving effort. I hope all your efforts will be fulfilled and people can freely believe anything they want without being persecuted or murdered.”

Most Meaningful Exhibition

College students Panayiota, Dina, Nataly, and Konstantinos met Falun Gong practitioners while volunteering at a charity organization. They came to the exhibition at the practitioners’ invitation. They were all deeply moved and talked with the practitioners for a long time.

College students view the paintings.

Konstantinos wrote, “One of the most interesting exhibitions I’ve ever seen in my entire life. Really beautiful and shocking at the same time. One of a kind that gives a touching experience!”

Panayiota wrote, “Great exhibition. I learned a lot about what I didn’t know, and now I want to know much more. Thanks for this experience!”

Ioulia, a physician, came to the exhibition with her daughter. She wrote in the guestbook, “Art tells the truth, truth that is sometimes fearful and sad. I consider myself lucky compared to all those that I learned about. Freedom of thought is the most precious gift.”

Doctor Ioulia

Anastacia Norova-Shishkina, an artist from the Ukraine, loves Eastern culture and is proficient in tea culture. On November 14, Anastacia went to the gallery for the opening ceremony of the exhibition. After that, she came to the gallery to make tea for practitioners and visitors for two days in a row. She recommended that everyone visit the exhibition on her social platforms.

Ukraine artist Anastacia Norova-Shishkina (left) and Gallery Director Leonie (right)

Anastacia recommends the exhibition on social media.

Leonie, the curator of the Brand Gallery, was happy to cooperate with Falun Gong practitioners to hold the exhibition. She was interested in the Falun Gong exercises and took note of how to download the Dafa books so that she could read them later.

Mayssa (second from left) takes a photo with practitioners and other viewers.

Mayssa from Jordan studied the paintings and read each caption. When she saw the works that depict the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China, Mayssa kept wiping away tears. She said she couldn’t believe it and couldn’t express what she felt in words.

Pertos Tsetsenekos’s entry in the guestbook.

Pertos Tsetsenekos wrote in the guestbook, “Walking into your gallery I feel the immense depth and soul you poured into The Art of Zhen Shan Ren. It’s not just a journey into truth and compassion, but it speaks directly to the heart.

“I couldn’t be prouder of you. May this gallery be just the beginning of shinning your light into the world.”

Stella Gkotsi’s entry in the guestbook.

Stella Gkotsi wrote, “Excellent exhibition! Soul touching! Real modern heroes of the spirit. They achieve feats every day in every level for the light to prevail against the darkness.”

Anna Maria’s entry in the guestbook

Anna Maria wrote, “I’m leaving this exhibition touched, amazed, and very troubled about how [the CCP] regime is involved in inhuman physical violence and destroying human rights in broad daylight.”

Rena Dotsou’s entry in the guestbook.

Rena Dotsou wrote, “As a painter, I can tell that the painters are remarkable and [I express my] congratulations on their work. As for the regime, I feel sorry for them and hope it will change.”

Maria’s entry in the guest book

Maria wrote, “It’s an extraordinary exhibition. It touches all the sensitive sides of the human soul which has been attacked from all sides. I ask you to spread the truth to the world.”

As the exhibition was drawing to a close, a woman told a practitioner that she had seen a Falun Gong practitioners’ march at Syntagma Square in early October and signed a petition to stop the CCP’s forced organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners. After visiting the exhibition, she connected the two events and gained a deeper understanding of the CCP’s persecution of believers.

“It’s great that you hold such an event,” she told a practitioner, “because there are still many people in Greece who don’t know the truth.”