New Exhibition: ‘The Universal and the Particular’: Paintings by Sundar Kanta Walker keswick.org/" target="_blank">Keswick Museum and Art Gallery Until 19th July 2008 The keswick.org/" target="_blank">Keswick Museum and Art Gallery is delighted to present a new collection of paintings by Sundar Kanta Walker.

The exhibition runs from 24th June until 19th July 2008 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 symbolism of South Asian 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.Sundar was born in India, spent her teens in Aberdeenshire with a Scottish family and later married their son. Britain has been her home since the 1960’s. Sundar spent most of her working life in Manchester and relocated to Cumbria eight years ago. The influences of the local landscape are vividly portrayed in her work. This is her 5th exhibition in Cumbria and uniquely portrays her style of combining reality with imagination. ‘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 Universal and the Particular’, my preoccupation is with exploring links between local and the wider worlds and create a new richer reality’.

In the past she has exhibited and toured her work throughout the UK, and internationally including 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.

In 2006 and 2007 her exhibition entitled ‘This Precious Place’ toured five art galleries and drew timely attention to environmental issues. Sundar’s work was the focus of attention at the Brewery Arts Centre’s International Women’s Festival in Kendal and was both written up and commented upon.

Sundar has produced an impressive body of work. She takes a unique approach to seemingly mundane landscapes and creates magical pieces of work. Her landscapes and portraits of children and the people around her are simple yet endearing.

This exhibition with additional local landscapes will also be shown at Lancaster City Museum and Art Gallery and the Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery. She is working towards a major themed exhibition for the end 2009 - 10 on women who work in subsistence economies in Europe and Asia. This work will tour both nationally and internationally.

‘The Universal and the Particular’ is on at the keswick.org/" target="_blank">Keswick Museum and Art Gallery from 24th June to 19th July 2008. keswick.org/" target="_blank">Keswick Museum and Art Gallery is open Tuesday – Saturday, 10am - 4pm. Entrance is free but donations are gratefully received. For more information about Sundar Walker please contact: (01539) 532224, go to www.artsk.co.uk or contact the Museum on (017687) 73263 or keswick.org/" target= "_blank">keswick.museum@allerdale.gov.uk