This work records the personal experience and internal turmoil of the artist, Professor Kunlun Zhang. Professor Zhang was imprisoned in China for three months, during which time he experienced physical and mental torture, including brainwashing. The two white Chinese characters “??â€? (meaning “persecutionâ€?) on the red wall represent the persecution of Falun Gong in China, which is so oppressive that it makes China seem like one big prison. The crack in the wall indicates that despite the red wall’s menace and seeming invincibility, its collapse has already begun.

technique: Oil on Canvas
year: 2004
dimensions: 36 in x 48 in

A wife weeps beside her husband, who has been tortured to death at a brainwashing center. He holds in his hand a document that he was forced to sign, a pledge that defames Falun Gong.

technique: Oil on Canvas
year: 2004
dimensions: 46 in x 36 in

With this torture method, sharp bamboo sticks are jammed underneath the fingernails. This method has been used on Falun Gong practitioners. In this depiction, even though the pain is excruciating, the practitioner endures.

technique: Pastel on Paper
year: 2004
dimensions: 39 in x 27.5 in

The inspiration for this painting came from a true story that has raised an international outcry. A young mother named Lixuan Wang and her 7-month-old son were both tortured to death after they were arrested for practicing Falun Gong. Autopsy reports revealed that the baby had been hung upside down and his skull had been crushed.

technique: Oil on Canvas
year: 2004
dimensions: 69 in x 43 in