Mitchell Art Gallery’s new exhibition shows the story of wheat
A new Mitchell Art Gallery exhibition explores wheat farming and its links to climate change, food insecurity and history
An installation featured in From Where the Grain Itself Can Speak at MacEwan University’s Mitchell Art Gallery explores themes of wheat farming and agriculture. Photo credit: Wonder Mugabo
MacEwan University’s Mitchell Art Gallery (MAG) has opened from where the grain itself can speak, an exhibition that explores how wheat farming shapes people, society and the environment. The show runs from Jan. 16 to March 28 and features artwork that encourages visitors to think about history, climate change and food systems.
The exhibition was curated by gallery director Ashna Jacob and gallery assistant Theo Donovan as part of the gallery’s regular programming.
Donovan said the exhibition centers on wheat because it is one of the most widely consumed crops in the world and plays a major role in Alberta’s agriculture.
“The artworks think about wheat from different perspectives, including food insecurity, climate change, labour and colonization,” Donovan said.
He added that the exhibition is meant to encourage students to reflect on their own relationships with agriculture.
“I hope that students are able to bring their own experiences and thoughts about wheat and industrial farming to the artwork,” Donovan said.
According to Donovan, the works examine wheat through historical, environmental and political lenses, including monoculture farming and its connections to labour and colonization, while also raising questions about how those systems have shaped societies over time.
The exhibition features work from local and international artists and invites visitors to consider the broader social, political and environmental impacts of industrial wheat farming, from global food systems to everyday life in Alberta.
