Sundar Kanta Walker-Artist and Writer -Exhibition

"Samsara" (The World, the Universe)- SUNDAR KANTA WALKER

News...

NEW EXHIBITIONS for 2008 and 2009:

January to 28th February 2008 - Research placement with Maya Films International, Hyderabad, India to make a documentary film/video focussing on the lives of Lambadi tribal women originally from Rajsthan.

Exhibition of new Cumbrian Paintings 24th June to 19th July at Keswick Museum and Art Gallery.

Exhibition of new local paintings at Lancaster City Museum 4th October to 8th November 2008.

Exhibitions of Local Lancashire scenes at Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery from 15th November to January 2009.

These three exhibitions will be called 'Universal and the Particular' as I intend to include paintings that I have recently painted in India, Syria and other countries.

February to April 2009 I am planning to finish making the film/video on tribal women in India and also spend 4 weeks at the Inst. Of Folk Heritage, Islamabad
Recording work songs of labouring women for my major touring exhibition called 'Hands On' depicting the lives of women working in the subsistence economies. The exhibition will celebrate their lives, their strength of character and their art and will tour internationally.

Major one-woman exhibition at Lancaster Museum and City Art Gallery Autumn 2008 - 30 canvasses depicting local life, landscapes and figurative work based around Lancashire.

PRESS:-

Waterside Arts Centre
'This Precious Place'
SUNDAR KANTA WALKER
WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, SALE TOWN CENTRE
2nd December 2006 till 20th January 2007.

The Waterside Arts Centre is delighted to present a new collection of paintings by Sundar Kanta Walker. The exhibition runs from 2nd December 2006 until 20th January 2007 and shows new work in Sundar's distinct style which fuses the concepts and methods of western artistic practice with the sun drenched colours and traditional symbolism of South Asian traditional art.

Previously described by The Guardian as a creator of 'enchanting and self sufficient worlds' Sundar Kanta Walker's work has been called a rare example of successful cultural cross fertilization. Despite being born in India, Britain has been her home since the 1960's. Sundar is a Mancunian Indian who lived and worked in the city for 37 years showing her work under the name 'Kanta Walker'. She has recently relocated to Cumbria and the influences of the local landscape can be seen in her work.

'Over the past decade my work has matured and has encompassed my cultural synthesis. and world views as experienced through travel and living in many cultural traditions and landscapes, from Scottish, Lancashire, and Cumbrian environments to Syria in the Middle East and Southern Europe and North American cultures.'

In the past she has exhibited work throughout the UK, and has toured her work internationally including to venues in Lahore, Pakistan and Hyderabad, India. Her work is housed in prestigious collections at Manchester Art Gallery, at Lahore and Islamabad in Pakistan, Hyderabad in India as well as at several venues throughout Germany, Holland, South Italy, Spain and Cumbria.

With the support of the Arts Council England North West, Sundar has produced an impressive body of work. She takes a unique approach to seemingly mundane landscapes and creates magical pieces of work. Her portraits of musicians, children and the people around her are simple yet endearing.

'This precious Place' is on at the Waterside Arts Centre, Sale, Manchester from 2nd December 2006 to 20th January 2007.For more information about Sundar Kanta Walker please contact: 01539 532 224 or go to www.artsk.co.uk and the Sale Waterside Arts Centre at 0161 912 5616.

Brewery Arts Centre
16 July - 4th September "Samsara" - Sanskrit word meaning "the world, the universe" is the exciting new exhibition by Sundar Kanta Walker.

Previously described by The Guardian as a creator of "enchanting and self sufficient world(s)" Sundar Kanta Walker's work has been described as a rare example of successful cultural cross fertilization.

Despite being born in India, britain has been her home since the late 1950's and her work shows a mixture of concepts, styles and methods of the western artists she so admires with the explosion of sun drenched colours and traditional symbolism from South Asia traditional art. In the past she has had a highly successful tour which started off as an initial exhibition in Blackburn and led to an 18 month journey including Oldham, Glasgow and international venues such as Lahore in India. Her work is housed in prestigious collections at Manchester Art Gallery, Lahore and Islamabad in India as well as Germany, Holland, Southern Italy, Spain and Cumbria!

Her latest work takes on the influences of her localized environment "through Indian eyes" creating a collection of rich colourful pieces that reflect her view of the outer physical world and the potential fantasy within.

"Over the past decade my work has matured and has encompassed my cultural synthesis and world views as experienced through travel and living in many cultural traditions and landscapes, from Scottish and Cumbrian environments to Syria in the Middle East and Southern Europe and North American cultures."

With the support of Arts Council England North West, Sundar has produced an impressive body of work covering the majestic views of Cumbrian scenery to the seeming simplistic portraits of musicians, children and the people around her. Her concerns around social and ecological issues are side by side with her playful homages to the variety of life. Based at the Warehouse Gallery at the brewery Arts Centre, this exhibition is an important step for an artist who's previous exhibitions have included "Sundar Rang"at the Birla Millenium Gallery in London, "2D" and "Diverse and Dynamic" at brixton Art Gallery and "Art at work" in Manchester.

"I see this exhibition as a further step in the international arts scene that will benefit from my way of seeing life with all its glory in vibrant colours. Its fragility and impermanence - ever changing, ever fluid melting into the myriad colours of the rainbow to be created and recreated again forever keeping me enchanted and occupied."

This vivid and expressive exhibition is definitely one summer event you don't want to miss!
For more information about Sundar Kanta Walker please contact: 01539 532 224 or go to www.artsk.co.uk