Taiwan Church News Edition 3783 Aug 26 ~ Sept 1, 2024 Weekly Topics Gangshan Welfare Service Center Champions Arts Inclusion via Marine Paintings Reported by Lin Wan-ting from Kaohsiung The Peace Foundation, a PCT affiliated social care institute responsible for managing Kaohsiung City Government’s Gangshan Welfare Service Center for the Disabled (GWSCD), champions an artistic exhibition for the ideal of “arts inclusion” in recent years. This year, 2024, it cooperates with a medical hospital for the first time. From August 19th, 2024, till January 9th, 2025, an artistic exhibition entitled as “Marine Wonders in Harmony: Art Inclusion Exhibition for the Disabled” is held in the art and cultural gallery next to the lobby at the Gangshan Branch of Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital. The artistic exhibition focuses on the marine world, and more than 50 pieces of acrylic paintings on composite media are exhibited. The vibrant colors and creative imaginations are not only full of artistic talents, but also highlight the idea of caring the environments of our planet. To use marine wastes as painting tools, the art works also paint or press the pigments on the polystyrene garbage collected from the coast. At the opening ceremony on August 21, Colonel Kuo Jian-lin, vice superintendent of the Gangshan Branch of Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital, expressed his thanksgiving to GWSCD for enriching the hospital milieu by so beautiful works of arts. Ms Tsai Wan-fen, director of the Social Affairs Bureau of Kaohsiung City Government, pointed out that through the artistic exhibition, it can not only breakdown the public’s stereotyped thoughts toward the disabled, and also inspire the disabled to seek medical treatment and encourage the hospital patients with their creative art works. Elder Lin Yao-ming, deputy CEO of the Peace Foundation, retrieved the contributions of the late Rev Chen Bo-wen, a.k.a. “the pastor in wheelchair”, who passionately fought for the welfare and rights of the disabled. He also introduced to the public the evolution of the ministry of Peace Foundation in different historical periods. In recent years, Elder Lin stressed, the PCT Peace Foundation focuses on the inclusive rights for the disabled and proclaims the message that everyone has infinite possibilities to live and love the world. When the guests delivered their speeches, Mr Tsai Wen-chang, chief consultant of the “Ah-Gong-Diam-Khuei Literature Award”, especially affirmed the efforts and contributions of Ms Liu Chiu-yueh, director of GWSCD, Ms Huang Shu-ya, a pastel painting teacher, and Ms Chang Yu-chi, an oil painting teacher. Professor Chen Yu-chia, vice president of the Taiwan Christian Social Workers Association, emphasized “the promotion of arts inclusion is compatible with the spirit of the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), and this arts exhibition is very remarkable to strive forward to reach the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). After enjoying the wooden-box-drum performance brought by the disabled youth in the opening ceremony, the audience were guided by the youth to meet the painters a gallery tour. Mr Chang Che-yuan mentioned the process of co-creation with his partners. He said everyone has their own ideas and needs to listen and communicate to one another. Ms Hu Hsiu-yuan introduced her artworks, entitled as “Cherry Blossom, Fish Fly”. She pointed out that her work showcased the spirit of being brave to overcome difficulties and marching forward without fears. Ms Chen Yi-shan thanked GWSCD for allowing her dream of attending a painting exhibition comes true. Her work, named “Night Fishing Town”, highlights the bright theme with a dark background, which intends to convey that human beings like to live in a sustainable world, so that people should protect our mother nature and take care of the “sacred home” of all creatures. Mr Huang Tong-yih’s art work is dazzling colorful showing the radiant magnificence of coral reefs and jellyfish dancing together. He thinks that his painting reflects the dreams of young men with physical or mental disabilities: people from different backgrounds and visions could live and love one another to create a beautiful world in peace! Translated by Peter Wolfe |