The Bazaar

After the Different Moons exhibition being open for best part of a week, we're preparing for the Bazaar on Saturday (22nd), again at the Whitaker in Rawtenstall. 

Look out for Asian crafts, and henna-painting, live music, bookstalls, saree stalls and Asian food. We'll also have, later in the day, live music from Chris Davies and Olivia Moore. There will be a free taxi/bus service from Haslingden Community Link to The Whitaker each hour on the half-hour.

It's been such a successful first week that you should meet the great team of people who have made it happen:

Above, from the left, is Shamshad Khan - the Project leader, Maryam Golubeva who is responsible for the wonderful paper-cuts and the Moon Book and who helped Shamshad on some of the many workshops she organised and lead in Haslingden; then there's Arry Nessa who came along initially as a volunteer but is now an indispensable member of the team organising the Different Moons Festival of activities.

Above there's another key member of the group - Habiba Shenza, the Project Support Artist, and she's standing next to her beautiful panel made up of mehndi, or henna, images. Habiba has also been great link with the community in Haslingden. I'm on her left - Bob Frith, the Artistic Director of the project.

Finally here's Phil Milston who has been responsible for making the Fountain, and supporting me in the technical work that's central to the project. Of course we're the most visible part of the team, but there's a whole group - mainly at Horse + Bamboo - who  are supporting us too, as well as the team at the Whitaker offering us their help for the exhibition. 

Lanterns and fountains

There's suddenly a real sense of urgency - it's not long now before the exhibition opens. I'm working on making the four lanterns (above) for the Fountain Room. Shamshad is collating all the written work that has been produced during the various workshops in Haslingden - in English, Urdu and Bengali; Habiba is working on the five-panel mehndi (henna) artwork, and Arry is completing the transcriptions of our recent interviews with older members of the local South Asian community. 

Phil is continuing with his work on the fountain itself. The tiles have arrived and the long  (and enjoyable, he says) process of tiling has begun. Meanwhile final proof-reading is taking place and the posters, banners and various advertising of the event will be beginning to go out over the next week. Look out for it!