The Cowichan Valley Arts Council is bringing an international art exhibition to the Cowichan Community Centre in Duncan from July 8 to 24.
The Truth, Compassion, Tolerance International Art Exhibition is described as “an extraordinarily moving, intimate and inspiring exhibition detailing both an inner spiritual life and an outer human rights tragedy.
The exhibit examines the spiritual discipline of Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa), based on the universal principles of truthfulness, compassion and tolerance. It features many award winning pieces from NTD TV International Figure Painting Competitions, a press release for the exhibit said.
“The International Art Exhibit explores the manifestation of good and evil in the context of a modern human atrocity: the on-going persecution of Falun Gong inside China, particularly the communist regime’s forcible removal of organs from prisoners of conscience and sale of them for profit. The exhibited artworks express the steadfast spirit of those who remain compassionate and tolerant under persecution, portray stories of peace, beauty, courage and justice, and offer messages of hope and triumph for the future,” the press release said.
The exhibition includes a diverse group of artists, including Canadians Xiaoping Chen, Kathleen Gillis, and Professor Kunlun Zhang, who founded the exhibition. Since its debut in July 2004 in Washington, D.C. at the Rayburn House, U.S. Congress building, The Truth, Compassion, Tolerance International Art Exhibition (also called The Art of Zhen Shan Ren) has toured approximately 300 cities, in more than 50 countries, with over 800 exhibitions.
The exhibition is open to the public from Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from noon until 4 p.m. There will be a grand opening on Saturday, July 10 from noon to 4 p.m.
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The Vancouver Island Symphony is heading outdoors again this summer, with limited seating pop-up concerts on the program.
Three different ensembles will play a series of concerts that will take place in private garden settings in Nanaimo, Yellowpoint, Gabriola Island, Duncan, Parksville, Lantzville, Cedar and Comox.
The Symphony says to “expect the unexpected” as the ensembles perform all genres of music including classical, jazz, Latin, traditional and Canadiana. The ensembles are the VIS Back Row Brass Quintet, the VIS String Quartet and French Horn, and the Marko Paolo Trio (flute, violin, accordion and double bass).
To find out more and purchase tickets, go to https://www.vancouverislandsymphony.com/summer-pop-up-concerts
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Talented Cowichan Valley students have been awarded prizes in the Municipality of North Cowichan’s annual woodworking contest.
The theme this year was to build a bookshelf, and North Cowichan officials said the students made choosing the winners difficult, with their fine work.
“The judging is much harder than it looks and it forced the judges to really dig into the details on the construction and functionality which has resulted in the three winners,” said Municipal Forester Shaun Mason in an email.
After much debate, the winners are: Nathan Powell from Duncan Christian School in first place ($500), Haydn Vanoostveen from Cowichan Secondary in second place ($300), and Levi White from Cowichan Secondary in third ($200).
Congrats to the winners!