Art helps to unlock potential
Looking back at the three-year journey of the Children Art Exhibition, we can see the silent but steady steps in the effort to use art as a means to approach and accompany children with disabilities. It is no coincidence that more than 70 paintings from 12 specialeducation centers across the country displayed at this year's exhibition all have one thing in common: each painting is a story, a world, a liberation from silence.
Space to display works by children with disabilities.
According to visual artist Ngo Dinh Bao Chau, who has been in charge of curating the exhibition since its early days, the important thing is not the form or technique, but the sincerity: “There are no patterns, no limits, only emotions. Some children draw with scribbles remembering their parents, others fill it with blue - the color of peace in their own way. That is something that cannot be taught, but can be felt.”
Many children are brought to the exhibition by their parents as a way to understand and sympathize with less fortunate children.
Here, art is not aimed at “training artists” but at opening a door: for students to speak, feel and be felt by others. This is an important aspect of humanistic education, where students not only acquire knowledge but also live fully as themselves.
The colorful art world of disabled children.
Mr. Nomer Adona, an art teacher at SSIS International School, who directly trains teachers of special needs children, affirmed: “When I teach teachers to guide students with disabilities to draw, I realize that what they need is not technique but patient listening. Children with disabilities often cannot say what they think, but they can draw, they can express their feelings.”
The drawings bring a touch point in the children's feelings.
The profound value of art has been recognized by many developed countries as part of early intervention programs, emotional therapy and integrated education for special children. In Vietnam, although slower, exhibitions like Children Art Exhibition are gradually proving that art does not cure disabilities, but can help disabled children to be more “free” in their own world, something that seems small but is extremely important.
Area displaying books by disabled people and about disadvantaged children sent by authors across the country.
When society learns to perceive difference
A significant new feature of this year’s exhibition is the multi-sensory experience space – where art is not only “seen” but also “touched, heard and understood”. In the “Sensory Overload Simulation” area, viewers are put into a state of loss of control by chaotic sounds, lights and images, simulating the constant feelings of children with autism spectrum disorder or ADHD.
Ms. Ta Thi Thanh Thuy, Deputy Director of Dinh Thien Ly Community Support Fund, shared information about this exhibition and upcoming projects.
Similarly, the “ Exploring Vision Through Color” area with the Ishihara test helps visitors recognize the differences in how people with visual disorders perceive color, an issue that is often overlooked in the design of learning and living environments.
But the most profound highlight is the HoloBox 3D, where each viewer must “read” the work intuitively and emotionally, without names or descriptions. It is in this ambiguity that art forces people to see with their hearts.
Each work is a world of dreams, ambitions and sharing with less fortunate children.
"I find this experience very useful because I can read the content, look at the illustrations, and listen to the lively sounds. I think it is even more useful for disadvantaged students, who can somehow feel the content and meaning of the work," Phan Trang (Tan Thuan ward, Ho Chi Minh City) shared her feelings after experiencing multi-sensory reading.
Le Khanh, a student at Nam Sai Gon Secondary School, shared that this exhibition gave her so many emotions and thoughts.
It is worth mentioning that this experience is not only for adults. Many students who came to the exhibition learned a lesson about empathy, something that is not taught in textbooks. Le Khanh, a student at Nam Sai Gon Secondary School, expressed: “There are things that we consider normal, like seeing all colors, hearing all sounds, but disabled students do not have the opportunity to experience. Looking at the paintings and reading the confidences of the students, I feel that I need to slow down and appreciate everything in this life more.”
A child experiences interaction to better understand the access to art of disabled friends.
From the exhibition, we can see a new aspect in the way society approaches the issue of disability: instead of focusing on healing or classifying, we are gradually learning to create an environment where differences can exist and have their own voice.
According to Ms. Ta Thi Thanh Thuy, Deputy Director of the Dinh Thien Ly Community Support Fund, the exhibition organizer, “if not properly supported, children with disabilities can easily become a burden to their families and society. But if approached through art and respect, they will not only express themselves but also bring value to the community.”
The exhibition shares a lot of useful information to better understand the less fortunate children.
From the exhibition, the Foundation is also developing a series of digital books specifically for children with disabilities, designed from an intuitive and accessible perspective. This could be the first step towards truly inclusive education that incorporates emotional education - something that is sorely lacking in the current curriculum.
Exhibition area at the exhibition.
Children Art Exhibition 2025 brings stories, drawings and emotions that viewers turn into motivation to create impact. From that exhibition, a great lesson is set: to move towards a more tolerant society, education - art - community cannot go separate ways.
The inner world of disabled children is expressed through lines and colors.
We cannot change the disability we are born with, but we can change the way we look at it. And sometimes, just starting with the simplest things: a picture, a touch, a slow look is enough to open up a shared world, where differences are heard with deep respect.
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/nghe-thuat-canh-cua-mo-ra-the-gioi-cua-tre-khuet-tat-a424119.html
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