LHASA: Ashe Drolma, a hearing aid student at a special education school in Lhasa, the capital of southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, said she was excited to see her pictures in a recent exhibition.
In the picture, one side with a double face, one side is decorated with traditional Tibetan clothing and the other side shows modern fashion with hair and earrings. “I like the color blue and it is a prominent color in my paintings,” said Yeshe Drolma in sign language.
The special art exhibition, which took place from April 19 to May 6 at the Xizang Art Museum, featured more than 100 paintings by nearly 180 students with disabilities from special education and mainstream schools in the area.
“Each piece is created by the students themselves. I only help them when they have problems,” said Ning Xiaohan, an art teacher at the Lhasa School of Special Education.
“Some students with mental or physical disabilities cannot hold a pen well enough, so we have to hold hands to help them draw circles or straight lines,” said Tsering Dekyi, an art teacher at Nagqu Special Education School in the city Absolutely.
Lhapa Tsering, Director of the Xizang Art Museum, said: “This painting combines elements of Thangka, traditional Chinese painting, and modern techniques, reflecting the students’ life experiences and dreams.”
Tenzin Wase, a high school student in Lhasa who visited the exhibition, photographed the artwork that impressed him. “Some of the buildings in the photo are very interesting and remind me of my hometown, Xigaze.”
Currently, there are 1,057 students with disabilities in seven special education schools in Xizang, 4,597 in regular schools, and 2,600 in home education. According to the regional disability federation, the enrollment of students with disabilities during compulsory education remains high at 97 percent.
“Every picture is unique, and pictures are the truest expression of children,” said Cai Shoukuan, an employee of the Xizang Education Department.
Cai said that with the spread and promotion of special education in Xizang, there has been a gradual increase in the understanding and treatment of marginalized groups in society.
