(Minghui.org) The Art of Zhen Shan Ren International Exhibition was held at the Gary Holland Community Center in the city of Rockingham for two weeks from July 11 to 25, 2025.
An opening ceremony for the Art of Zhen Shan Ren was held on July 11.
The deputy mayor for Rockingham, Ms. Lorna Buchan, spoke at the opening night for the exhibition held on July 11. She thanked the curators, artists and volunteers who made this event possible and said in her speech: “These values of Zhen Shan Ren or Truthfulnrss, Compassion, and Forbearance, have been honored as tradition, as something to be embodied to ensure society becomes moral and more compassionate.”
Local Member of Parliament for Rockingham Ms. Magenta Marshall and four other councilors attended the opening ceremony as well.
People viewed the paintings displayed in the exhibition at the opening night.
Exhibition attendees viewed the artworks and read the description that told the story behind each painting. Some were moved to tears by the way practitioners endured persecution for refusing to give up their faith. Others bought English copies of the main text of Falun Gong – Zhuan Falun and asked where they could learn the exercises. Some of the comments people wrote in the visitors book included: “Amazing artworks, delighted to be able to view them,” “An eye opening experience,” “Full of spirituality,” “Beautiful, calming,” and, “This exhibition is important, thank you.”
Deputy Mayor for Rockingham: The Paintings Are Beautiful and Thought Provoking
Ms. Lorna Buchan, deputy mayor of Rockingham, said the paintings were beautiful and thought provoking.
“I thought the paintings were very creative and quite beautiful in fact. The colours and the detail in the pictures and the subject matter too. And you can tell that people have spent a lot of time creating their pictures and the details in them. So I think that through their painting they probably have had some chance to meditate while they're painting. And you can see that on the pictures because it just feels… you can get a really nice feeling from the pictures.”
The painting “Homeless” left a deep impression on her. “The girl with the key around her neck, arriving home with the broken pot on the step and the tape across the door. And her not really understanding why her parents aren’t there and for what reason her parents may not be there. And I think that’s a big question for a lot of us asking why people are being taken from their homes and why things like this are allowed to happen and continue to happen.”
She said she was aware of the persecution and had met practitioners who told people about the brutalities on streets in Perth. She has also signed many petitions to call for an end to the human rights abuses.
“When I thought about the exhibition I thought, it would be quite brutal, but I was actually quite impressed when I got here to see some of the beauty coming through in the pictures, where you’re actually celebrating Falun Gong and your art and you’re not focusing on the terrible things that are happening because it’s a balance and to get yourself through this terrible period you’re obviously focusing on your practice and celebrating your culture as well. So it was very nice to be able to see some of that in the pictures.”
She wrote in the visitors comments book: “Thank you for sharing your beautiful and thought provoking pictures with us in Rockingham. The scale and colors were so thoughtfully created with care, passion and detail.”
City Councilor: The Exhibition Expressed Freedom of Speech
Rockingham City Councilor Robert Schmidt said the artworks were moving.
Councilor Robert Schmidt said, “It was moving actually. As you went through each individual frame it was quite touching. I was quite impressed and moved in a lot of ways by the story. Having not known what this was prior and having a brief look at what was going on, it was pretty moving to be honest.”
He wrote in the visitors book: “This exhibition is an expression of freedom of speech and the courage to stand up to the CCP. Thank you for the invitation.”
Practitioner: The Art Exhibition Changed My Life
Michele Webster, a Falun Gong practitioner, spoke at the opening ceremony.
Michele Webster, a Falun Gong practitioner in Perth, spoke at the opening ceremony. She shared the story of how the exhibition changed her life.
Michele grew up in Victoria along the Murray River on a small vineyard. She described herself as “a very precise and fussy child with lots of opinions.” She left home at a young age and had an unhappy marriage later. “I became extremely resentful that my husband didn’t support my parenting or appreciate or value me. I began to feel undervalued and undermined, and had lost my sense of self-worth. After we moved to Perth, our eventual divorce separated our family, and my two children became very resentful of me also and didn’t respect or appreciate me either. I felt I couldn’t focus and I was drowning.”
She met her second partner and when that relationship failed, her stress levels reached an all-time high. “By then, I was on anti-depressants, drinking alcohol, crying a lot and had become a manic athlete all in an attempt to self soothe. All these actions were dulling my senses, and I was wondering what I was going to do to fulfill the void in my life and help sort out my problems.
“In 2011 I happened to see an advertisement in the local community newspaper. That ad was for the Art of Zhen Shan Ren Exhibition. The picture of the sad little girl’s face and the words Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance together struck me very hard. And they intrigued me very much, so I put the advertisement on the fridge door.
“Some weeks later, I found myself here at the Art Exhibition at this very location with my then 13-year-old daughter. On browsing the paintings, I felt my heart open, and I was again intrigued. Intrigued by the many magnificent images, and the stories and feeling that the artists portrayed in their paintings.”
The picture that resonated most to Michele was “The Coming of the Falun Holy King.”
“I was touched by the spirituality of it, which came as a surprise to me as I wasn’t a spiritual person and certainly wasn’t looking for anything spiritual in my life. But when I saw that painting, it struck me as very pure, and it just spoke to my heart.”
Michele Webster with the painting “Illumination” (left).
The other painting that resonated with her was “Illumination.” The painting depicts a lady reading a book with a baby in her arms.
“I remember feeling so sad, and a feeling of longing when I saw it. On reflection, I think it was because the lady in the painting looked so serene and relaxed with her child and in perfect harmony in her life, which was the complete opposite of where I was at, at that moment in time –which was total disharmony with my own life and my family.”
Deeply moved by the exhibition, Michele spoke to a volunteer, who told her more about Falun Gong. She began practicing.
“So moving on, after viewing the Art of Zhen Shan Ren exhibition, I can honestly say that it literally changed my life. And I’m very happy to say that life, is very different. The values of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance spoke to me deeply, and now I practice these values on a daily basis.”
Michele spoke to a woman who viewed the exhibition on July 19.
“Like when I come across conflicts, internally I take a deep breath and instead of responding too quickly and saying something sharp or something that could hurt others knowingly or unknowingly which is how I used to respond, I think very carefully about what I am going to say and try to be considerate of the other persons feelings.
“Most importantly, I don’t feel any resentment now and can just move on happily. This method of self-reflection has massively helped me with my life in general and my career. The resentment I felt towards my ex-husband has dissipated and my internal negative voice has quietened down now, and I feel at peace and calm.
“Additionally, my relationship with my children has turned 180 degrees, it’s very harmonious. They now view me respectfully and as a role model, and we have a beautiful loving relationship.
“And my body feels very light. I used to go to the chiropractor every week and now after I do the meditation exercises, I no longer go to the Chiro and my back feels amazing.”
Michele, who is 61, said: “The exercises definitely raise my energy levels and help me keep up with both my work and other activities.”
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Category: Art & Photo Exhibits
