The Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery “MAG” is Re-opening 

The MAG is ready to welcome you back! The Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery plans to reopen to visitors on June 15^th based on Stage 2 of Alberta’s Open For Summer Plan. Visitors can check out the travelling art exhibit APrairie Vernacular: Folk & Contemporary Art Narratives of Life On the Canadian Prairies at the Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery (MAG), showing from now until August 16, 2021. This exhibit includes over 50 artists, 9 themes with an amazing collection of work. A Prairie Vernacular is a travelling exhibition curated by Jennifer McRorie and Joanne; organized and toured by Moose Jaw Museum and Art Gallery in partnership with the Esplanade and is funded by the Government of Canada and Department of Canadian Heritage. The opening hours will be Tuesday-Saturday from 10:00am – 4:30pm.Visits can be booked on the MAG website www.reddeermuseum.com .

A Prairie Vernacular Exhibit examines historic and contemporary representations of the vernacular in artistic practice on the Canadian prairies, considering the relationship of folk art to contemporary art produced in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. These representations of the vernacular not only adopt the materials, methods and/or motivations of a folk aesthetic, but speak to shared contexts and subject matter, either reflecting on memories and histories of life on the prairies or presenting visual narratives rife with humour, fantasy, myth, politics, religion, and the prairie gothic. Artists represented in the exhibition include historic and contemporary untrained or self-taught artists, as well as academically trained artists whose works speak to the vernacular, the locality and history of the Prairie.

Words from Executive Director, Lorna Johnson:  

The Prairie Vernacular exhibition is a delightful and affectionate look at the Prairies, through the eyes of artists. All of the artworks reflect a deep love of place, and the personal memories, reflections and fantasies that are rooted in the prairie landscape. It is wonderful to see how the so-called folk artists have inspired some of Canada’s best-known artists to create works that celebrate prairie sensibilities. It is a lively and expansive show, and I hope visitors will soon be able to come and see it in person.  

Virtual Talks & Virtual Mini-Tours: 

• Saturday, June 5, 2021 – 2 p.m.

“Indigenous Prairie Aesthetics” – Mini tour of Prairie Vernacular

• Saturday, June 26, 2021 – 2 p.m.

“Memory and Memoria and the Everyday” – Mini tour of Prairie Vernacular

• Saturday, July 10 – 2 p.m.

“Folk, Funk, Humor and Playfulness” – Mini tour of Prairie Vernacular

• Thursday, July 22 – 6:30 p.m.

“Jude Griebel: The Influence of Prairie Folk Art on Contemporary Art

Practice” Artist Talk and Q & A

• Saturday, July 24 – 2 p.m.

“Fantasy and the Surreal” – Mini tour of Prairie Vernacular

• Saturday, Aug. 7 – 2 p.m.

“Prairie Gothic” – Mini tour of Prairie Vernacular

• Thursday, Aug. 5 – 6:30 p.m.

“Place of Belonging” – Artist Talk and Q & A with Ken Housego

For more details regarding the exhibition A Prairie Vernacular contact Kim Verrier, Exhibitions Coordinator at [email protected]