Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - A unique painting exhibition displaying art works of peoplewith autism is opening in downtown Hanoi.

Cham (Touch), asit is named, includes drawings, collages as well as sculptures by Ujita Masato,43, from Japan, and five teenagers from Hanoi, including Nguyen Trung Hieu, TrinhHoang Minh, Pham Binh Minh, Nguyen Gia Bao and Ha Dinh Chi.

“People with autism are not as lonely as weassume they are,” said Vu Song Ha, deputy director of the Health and PopulationInitiative Centre. “As you can see here, their souls are so rich and we shouldtry to understand them. Such an exhibition is a chance for us to understand theworld of people with autism so that our society will treat them properly, andoffer them suitable jobs to make contributions back to society.”

Among the exhibits are colourful scenes,portraits, humourous sculptures, and even clumsy sketches that are difficult tounderstand but they express the painters’ feelings in their own world.

Behind the event are countless efforts by theirparents.

“We occasionally organise such an exhibition toenhance people’s knowledge of autism,” said Nguyen Lan Phuong, mother of12-year-old Ha Dinh Chi, “We also want to confirm the ability to contribute tosociety by people with autism. In Vietnam, people with autism have not receivedproper attention, especially grown-ups. There are no vocational centres forthem. They can hardly find any jobs.”

Painter Le Thiet Cuong, who was invited toselect the paintings for display, sees real talent.

“It’s very challenging for me to select theirpaintings,” he told Vietnam News.

“Every painting is beautiful in its own way. Alltheir paintings are full of sunlight, wind, joy and sometimes contain strangeviews. They express things that even normal painters cannot express.

“Above beauty and clumsiness, their works‘touch’ people’s souls, as their parents named the event. The art of paintingin this case is a way to connect the hearts of people with autism to those ofordinary people.”

“I hope to help them create a centre where theycan to integrate with other people so that their art works do not stop atexhibitions but last longer in products for sale like souvernirs, ceramicwares, decorative patterns on fashion,” he said.

Accompanying her 43-year-old son to theexhibition, Ujita Teruko said she and her son were happy to join the event in Vietnamthough she hosts an exhibition for him every four years in Japan.

“People with autism like my son find it dificultto communicate with other people,” Ujita said, “Yet through paintings my sonexpresses his warm heart to other family members and the surrounding world. Ithink painting is good for people with autism.”

Ujita Masato works at Yakuju Will Company, whichemploys disabled people, in Yokohama City, washing blankets and mattresses. Hehas lived on his own for 11 years in a group home. He returns home everyweekend to visit his parents. He likes painting, calligraphy, embroidery,kayaking and travelling.

His paintings are displayed at Aoba Gallery,Midori District, Yokohama City and at the offices of Yakujyu Company and cafesrun by the Morinokai Association.

Nguyen Trung Hieu (18 years old); Hoang Minh(16); Binh Minh (14); Gia Bao (15) and Dinh Chi (12) are all from Hanoi. Theyall attend regular schools beside practising drawing. Some play musicalinstruments well.

"I found some interesting paintingshere," said Peny Anjre, a tourist from France. "They are bothrealistic and free in style."

The exhibition runs till March 12 at the Vietnamese Women's Museum, 36 Ly Thuong Kiet Street.-VNA