The Great Wall is the symbol of peace in the eyes of Congolese artist Bokumoni Akonga J. Theodore (LIU JIAN)

What does peace mean to an artist from a war-torn country?

"It means the preservation of culture," said a Congolese artist Bokumoni Akonga J. Theodore at the Fourth International Art Exhibition on Peace running from October 9 to 11 at Beijing's National Conference Center.

"All the time my country is involved in war, and I think [it's] because we first killed our culture. Killing it, you misunderstand the value of living in [a] community and society, [and] never live in peace," he told ChinAfrica.

The Chinese people built the Great Wall to protect against invasion and bring peace inside. Theodore used this image to demonstrate his understanding of peace. "The Great Wall being on my chest means the preservation of my own value, living in my culture and also my peace inside," he said of his painted self-portrait on display at the exhibit. "I learned more about community, friendship and what is positive here in China." The painting took him six months to finish, he said.

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Art and understanding

The exhibit showcased more than 1,000 pieces of art, including paintings, sculptures, calligraphy, installations and handicrafts created by artists from 43 countries.

"Art is the language and peace is hope, so we express our hope through art," said Bangladeshi Dr. S. Murad, the exhibit's curator and the CEO of Presidentvilla, a global art and design website. "An artist is the messager of peace, explaining society's problems in the beautiful language of art."

For Mozambican artist Sebastião Carlos Coana, peace isn't only an absence of war. It also means understanding and accepting people of different cultures. "Art has a role in promoting cultural exchanges and [they] help us understand each other. It's a must," he said.