AS gallery supervisor at The Lowry, Steve Greenhalgh is used to putting visitors in the picture.

But he never thought he would see the day when he would actually be appearing -- in portrait form -- in one of the arts centre's exhibitions.

Steve, from Bromley Cross, was one of a handful of gallery staff whose photographs were sent to Ghanain artists ahead of the Kumasi Junction show.

The exhibition focuses on the colourful hand-painted signs used by shopkeepers and tradesmen such as barbers in Kumasi, Ghana's second largest city, to advertise themselves.

Artist Atta Kwami produced portraits of Steve and 11 other Lowry gallery assistants using the photos he had been sent.

Their addition to the show was the brainchild of Emma Anderson, The Lowry's curator of temporary exhibitions who wanted it to include people who might be classed as the public "faces" of the Lowry.

The results, all agree, are remarkable. Staff say the picture of Steve is particularly striking.

Steve, aged 30, said: "I went away for a day and when I came back there was a picture of me hung up in the gallery. It was quite a shock.

"Everyone who works here was saying: 'It's you Steve.' I think it's a reasonably flattering likeness to be honest. Once the exhibition is under way I'm expecting members of the public to come up and say they've recognised me in the gallery!"

But the gallery supervisor is unsure what will happen to his portrait when the exhibition ends.

He said: "Somebody said maybe I should buy it, but I don't know how much it would cost. I'd probably only buy it to hide it!"

Kumasi Junction, which also features abstract paintings by the Ghanaian painter Akwasi Addai, runs until June 22. Free family activity sessions during the Easter Holidays to accompany the exhibition include sign-making sessions from 11am to 2pm on Thursday and Friday.

Artist Austin Chabba leads a day of family activity on Saturday, May 17.