As I sat in the small staffroom of Mr Lee's school, his story began to unfold. Being born into harsh poverty Mr Lee's family gathered support from extended family and friends in his village and sent him to school. At school he took up Kung Fu and flourished, working his way through the ranks, eventually competing at a national level and twice becoming national Kung Fu champion, in a country the size of China, a truly incredible feat! With the memory of his humble roots and the sacrifices many made for him still very present in his heart he decided to invest all his prize earnings in starting a school that sought out the poorest, most destitute children and offered them a free education; a priceless gift to those that found themselves in an endless cycle of poverty. Selling his house, car and many of his possessions Mr Lee flung his life fully open for the marginalised, adopting 30 children as his own, providing a home and refuge for them.
Providing an education for 400 children, many with disabilities Mr Lee’s school is an amazing example of a man determined enough to see change that his life is poured out for those he serves.
Affected by this story I decided to respond to it in making a large-scale portrait of one of his students. I installed the piece in the heart of a university campus in Eastern China. Speaking in front of the work to a large group of students I shared Mr Lee’s powerful story. As I gave the drawing to the students they responded in a wave of generosity, most students giving money to go directly to the work of the school. It was clear that many of the students had taken on a deep challenge to look beyond their own worlds and consider the marginalised and forgotten.
