Some call autistic children “star children”—pure and bright as stars but not shining as brightly as the Sun. They are not as sociable as normal kids. But given chances to present themselves, they are very expressive in an artistic way. Fifteen autistic children will hold a joint show of drawings, paintings, and art designs in the Exhibition Hall of the Business Building, from Sept. 15 to Sept. 26.

This exhibition, sponsored by the Taipei County Autism Association and Tamkang Puyi Social Work Group, is entitled as “Outfield Art” because the world of the star children often seems to be secluded in terms of socialization, but at the same time, the ways these children look at the world are so intense and outstanding. “Through painting, they express their thought and detailed observation, release their emotions; through painting, they share with us their joys. Painting is a bridge between the star children and us.” Chen Hsiu-fong, Director of Development of Potentiality for the Autistic, remarked in the opening ceremony.

Don’t try to look for an alien in these young artists. Their emotions are just like yours. See through their eyes, and you will find how interesting and diverse life is. Wu Ban-lien, aged 5, scribbled on a 2K orange paper, which was larger than her body. She was not imitating the cursive script of calligrapher monk Huai Shu. She stood up and opened her arms to tell us a story. 12-year-old Lo Yi-ch’u presented us with an impressive 15-meter-long scroll about her MRT trip from Panchiao to Kuantu. Drawing is her own way of keeping a diary and telling stories. The oldest among the 15 artists, Lin Yu-hsien, aged 20, will catch your eyes by his stage design “Snow Country in the Subtropics.” Shining but cold, this stage design is a keen ironic remark on the stages of thousands of TV shows in Taiwan.

The 15 artists and their parents will visit the Shih-san-hang Archeology Museum on Saturday morning (Sept. 20). In the afternoon, they will visit the Maritime Museum and Carrie Chang Fine Arts Museum in TKU campus, and then have a tea party in the exhibition hall, B Building.