A child watch paintings by children with autism at the Difference and Future exhibition. — Photo vietnamplus.vn

HA NOI (VNS) — An art exhibition in downtown Ha Noi showcases the world as seen by five autistic children.

Entitled Difference and Future, the exhibition displays dozens of paintings and sculptures by Ha ?inh Chi (aged 10), Pha.m Binh Minh (11), Gia Bao (12) and Trinh Hoang Minh (13), as well as Nguye^~n Trung Hie^'u (15).

Hieu is a typical autistic child with complicated and uncontrolled actions.

"At 5, he started drawing numbers – which he liked the most -- on the wall," Hieu's mother Nguyen Thi Mai Anh said. "At 7, he started drawing cats. All his paintings at that time were on cats. Then, he gradually added more sceneries, people and vehicles."

"Through his paintings, I understood whether he was sad or happy as he could not express his feelings through words or expressions, like other children with autism," she said.

Hieu can make handicrafts and play five instruments.

Painter Le Thiet Cuong, curator of the exhibition, said he found in each painting innocence and cheerfulness, which might not be expressed in paintings by normal people who lead happy lives.

"I believe you will find a sensitive heart and a beautiful soul in each painting," he said.

Regarding the purpose of the exhibition, he said, "We hope the event will be like an alarm that makes our community pay more attention to children with autism, who may be disabled in some ways but have special capabilities too in other ways."

Cuong hopes to establish a school that provides a special environment to children with autism.

"Children with autism find it difficult to mingle with the community," Nguyen Mai Anh, from the Ha Noi Club for Children with Autism, said. "Our community should open its arms to them instead."

Cuong said the event also aimed to connect enterprises with gifted children. The enterprises can help promote the children's artworks such as souvenirs, handicrafts and other applied fine arts products.

At the opening ceremony yesterday (May 26), an "Art and Autism" fund was established based on the sale of artworks by autistic children. The fund aims to promote the works of people with autism and help them find stable jobs.

The exhibition will run till May 31 at Laca Gallery, 24 Ly Quoc Su Street. — VNS