The Grebel Gallery, located in the heart of the Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement at Conrad Grebel University College, is pleased to showcase “New Fraktur,”an art exhibit by Grebel alumnus Meg Harder. Visitors will be treated to works that draw on fraktur folk art, an imaginative and densely detailed illuminated calligraphy, historically produced by early Mennonite settlers to Ontario. Fraktur was traditionally made to venerate important religious and cultural texts and was displayed in everyday contexts like the walls of homes and in the covers of bibles and hymnals.
In recognition of her ancestral traditions, Harder’s ink and gouache drawings carry forward the aesthetic sensibilities of fraktur and Biblical myth, while reframing their contents with a queer, feminine, and bioregional optic. By reinterpreting these archived images she aims to disarm exploitative narratives and create space for new histories and futures.
“Through this exhibition, I attempt to illuminate different aspects of Mennonite culture and regional history that continue to ripple, perhaps unrecognized, into our present moment. I hope New Fraktur offers an opportunity for critical reflection on where we’ve come and where we are going next,” said Meg Harder.
On May 9, 2019 at 7:30 pm, community members are invited for a guided tour of the exhibit and the opportunity to hear from the artist. The exhibit will run until October 25, 2019.
“It is important to highlight our Grebel alumni who are talented artists,” added Fred W. Martin, Grebel Gallery Team member and Director of Advancement at Grebel. “Meg's work connects so well with the mandate of the Grebel Gallery to bridge peace and artistic expression. It is important to feature this work that draws on our Mennonite heritage and uses it to address current issues of justice.”
The reception is free, but registration is requested.
Exhibit Hours:
Monday to Friday: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Admission is free
For more information, contact Amy Zavitz at alzavitz@uwaterloo.ca or 519-885-0220 x24221