On Saturday the 4th of July Salaam project artists and participants will present paintings, works on paper and crafts in an exhibition to be launched at Brisbane Square Library, Level 2, between 12noon and 2:00pm. 

There will be a 1:30 screening of the documentary film Gossamer Roads created by Teone Reinthal, featuring the Salaam artists, participants and the supportive community of friends and family who helped at workshops and events. 

Please RSVP your availability to attend by Wednesday the 1st of July for catering purposes to:
Mandana Mapar
Salaam Project
0413144533
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Description of the project
Salaam profiles the work of women in contributing to the rich Islamic traditions of arts and culture. The diversity of cultures that practice Islam is seldom recognised in the current multicultural debate and the profiling of women’s arts and ways of creatively communicating is even less known by the general public.

A ten week series of workshops was held throughout mid 2008 by women arts, craft workers and cultural workers, including dance practitioners, in a number of communities.  Islamic and non-Islamic women were invited to participate and contribute.

The communities involved in the Salaam project included members of the Brisbane Arabic community, Bosnian community, Hindi community, Sudanese community, Iranian community, Iraqi community and Australian community. Salaam also attracted participants originating from England, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and India.  The artists involved in this project attest to the power of expressive creativity each having been through the process of migration and resettlement. Salam El-Merebi, Sudabeh Ramhormoz, Sevkija Hodzic, Sumaiya Latif, Aida Khalaf and Shamime Mustapha each brought a wealth of knowledge and experience in working with a variety of community groups and with people from all walks of life.

Broad cultural diversity
60 workshops were held and a total of over 160 workshop participants actively engaged with the artists and other participants who were themselves from different cultural and artistic backgrounds.  The resulting paintings and artworks are collected here in an exhibition of vibrant colours, moving stories and important milestones for these new and emerging artists.  A series of community exhibitions and celebrations will be held around Brisbane and south east QLD to showcase the wonderful work of Salaam. Look out for future workshops and register your interest with IWAQ [Islamic Women’s Association of Queensland – ed.] at the exhibition or contact Mandana Mapar for further information This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

GOSSAMER ROADS Screening weekly Tuesday afternoons every week in July and August, 12:00 - 2:00pm, at the Brisbane Square Library.

Planned Workshops
1 Henna design workshops July 11
2 Calligraphy  July 25
3 Bead work and jewellery making August 8
4 Children’s ‘my home is your home’ project August 22

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