Gardiner Exhibits Gertraud Möhwald

Posted by Jennifer Yap Aug 6, 2007

Toronto’s Gardiner Museum will host Canada’s first exhibit of clay portraits and heads by one of the 20th century's most significant ceramic artists: Germany's Gertraud Möhwald (1929 – 2002).

A total of 22 pieces will be on display from October 12, 2007 to January 20, 2008.

Known for fragmentary, layered work influenced by her survival of the firebombing of Dresden during World War II, the crumbling baroque architecture surrounding her home in the former GDR, the work of Gaudi, Giacometti and Goya as well as travels to Samarkand, Rome and Barcelona, Möhwald’s figures are built up of collages of clay, fired ceramics, porcelain shards, and sometimes, coloured paper, gold and found objects.

The opening will be attended by the Möhwald family as well as German collectors who are lending pieces from their private collections.

On October 14, an exhibition symposium will be held featuring German experts Gabi Dewald, Editor-in-chief of KeramikMagazin and Möhwald’s university colleague and friend, Dr. Renate Luckner-Bien. Curator Susan Jefferies will moderate.

For information and tickets, visit the Gardiner Museum.