Songlines
11 October 2003 - January 2004

Songlines features a major series of over 40 paintings by the prominent Bangladeshi artist Abdus Shakoor. These colourful and vibrant works were inspired by folk art and a group of traditional folk stories known as the Mymensingh Ballads.

The stories, which draw on both Islamic and Hindu traditions, explore universal themes of love, loss, parenthood and power and feature a host of memorable characters.

The exhibition explores the development of Shakoor’s style with a number of works on loan from Cartwright Hall in Bradford. These include examples of folk art and paintings by the great Indian artist Jamini Roy.

During the last two weeks of the exhibition, stories and pictures produced by local schoolchildren in a citizenship project linked to the exhibition will be on show alongside Abdus Shakoor’s paintings.

Free exhibition talk – Tuesday 28 October, 1pm

Songlines is part of the Hidden Talents festival. Hidden Talents takes place across the Northwest from September to December. For more information go to www.aam.org.uk/hiddentalents

Image: Abdus Shakoor