The solo exhibition, "Celebration of the Art of Calligraphy: Messages of Peace and Reassurance" features the rhythmic paintings of Salma Arastu. Her current body of work explores the continuous and lyrical line of Arabic calligraphy and Islamic patterns influenced by both her native culture and the universal teachings of the Quran. An artist reception is from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, April 21 at the MBAW Art Gallery. The exhibition continues through Aug. 20.

The Alamo City will be treated to a melting pot of international music when Musical Bridges Around the World presents its fourth International Music Festival from Feb. 12-26 at the Tobin Center, Empire Theatre and Southwest School of Art.  The festival reaches more than 100,000 people annually. Performing artists from Indonesia, Cuba, Argentina, Spain, Armenia and Canada will be represented in eight concerts, including a special performance by Grammy-nominated, jazz player Joey Alexander on Feb. 18 at the Empire Theater.

After moving to San Antonio two years ago, Latvian native Natalia Sun became fascinated with Mexican culture and traditions, among them Dia de los Muertos, which was the inspiration behind her photographic work, “Mystical Brides.” The photograph is a celebration of the Mexican holiday with an unexpected mix of fashion through bridal couture and exquisite hairstyles, as well as an illustration of the three brides’ faces that Sun painted as "sugar skulls" as the haunting trio stands in the foreground of a mystical forest.