From 30 April to 12 June a handcrafted artist's book by Ronald Forbes will be exhibited at the Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum. Indian Summer is the title of this limited edition book which was created following a visit the artist made to north and west India.

There are twenty-four screen-printed images in the book. In addition to these the exhibition will include related screen-prints, paintings, preparatory drawings and photographs taken in India. During Forbes' travels he visited a number of palaces, temples, mosques, galleries and museums. While greatly impressed by the wonders of art and architecture he witnessed, the surreal theatre of Indian street life, heightened by a general election campaign, made an even greater impression. The contrasts of opulence and poverty, and ancient traditions juxtaposed with modern technology left him exhilarated but bemused.

In trying to make sense of the sensory overload he experienced Forbes found inspiration in the ancient Hindu story, retold in many cultures, of the Six Blind men and the Elephant. This is interpreted by him for one of the book's set of images. Other groups of images explore signing for the deaf, the jumbo-jet aircraft which Forbes says he 'always thought to be magical', and the six senses. Together the works celebrate different ways of understanding.

Forbes grew up in the village of Braco and believed that India was somewhere just beyond Stirling, since it was a constant part of family conversation, his father having spent the war years in India.

He later studied at Edinburgh College of Art and most recently was Course Director, Drawing and Painting and Duncan of Jordanstone College, University of Dundee. He has held important Artist in Residence posts in Scotland, the Netherlands and Australia and has exhibited widely internationally.

On Wednesday 18 May 2005 at 12noon, Ronald Forbes will be in the gallery to read entertaining extracts of his Indian travel diary and to talk informally about the work in the exhibition. Admission to the talk will be £2 and includes refreshments.

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