Yeshe Drolma, a hearing-impaired student from a special education school in Lhasa, the capital city of southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, expressed her delight to see her painting on display at an exhibition recently held in the city.
Her painting depicts a Tibetan girl with a dual face, one side adorned in traditional Tibetan attire, while the other side showcases modern fashion with a stylish hairband and earrings. "I love blue, and it's a prominent color in my painting," Yeshe Drolma said in sign language.
The special art exhibition, running from April 19 to May 6, at the Xizang Art Museum showcases more than 100 paintings by nearly 180 disabled students from special education schools and ordinary schools across the region.
"Each piece of work was created by students themselves. I only helped them when they encountered problems," said Ning Xiaohan in sign language, an art teacher at a special education school in Lhasa.
"Some students with intellectual or physical disabilities could not hold a pen well enough, so we have to hold their hands to help them draw circles or straight lines," said Tsering Dekyi, an art teacher at the Nagqu Special Education School in the city of Nagqu.
"These paintings blend elements of Thangka, traditional Chinese painting, and contemporary techniques, offering a glimpse into the life experiences and dreams of the students," said Lhapa Tsering, director of Xizang Art Museum.
Tenzin Wase, a middle school student in Lhasa who visited the exhibition, took photos of the artworks that impressed him. "Some of the buildings in the paintings are so impressive that they remind me of my hometown, the city of Xigaze," he said.
At present, 1,057 disabled students are studying in seven special education schools in Xizang, 4,597 are studying in ordinary schools, and 2,600 are receiving homeschooling. The enrollment rate of disabled students during the compulsory education period remained above 97 percent, according to the region's disabled persons' federation.
"Each painting is unique, and the paintings represent the most authentic expression of children," said Cai Shoukuan, an official of the Xizang Education Department.
Cai noted that with the popularization and promotion of special education in Xizang, there is a gradual increase in understanding and care for marginalized groups in society.
