Waterloo Region – Region of Waterloo Museums and Archives is proud to announce the opening of “In this act of burial – Part II”, a series of digital drawings displayed on the exterior lightboxes of Schneider Haus National Historic Site. Running now until May 31, 2026, the exhibit features work by artist Meghan Harder. 

In this act of burial - Part II is a continuation of the exhibit, curated by Shalaka Jadhav in 2025. Part II involved the installation of a series of images highlighting common fraktur, folk art, and motifs. Using an iPad, Meghan retraced digitized artifacts to develop digital meditations on elements key to the historic site. Birds, flowers, hearts, horses, and stars were weaved into new compositions that echo both the contours of the original forms and the architecture of the Schneider Haus facade.

“Region of Waterloo Museums and Archives are providing a place for artists to reimagine artifacts and spaces through a contemporary lens,” said Karen Redman, Chair of the Region of Waterloo. “By bringing art into public spaces, we transform them into places of shared experience which fosters a sense of belonging. This work is an example of how we can experience history and heritage beyond museum walls and make it accessible to all.”

In this act of burial – Part II is curated by Shalaka Jadhav, an independent curator, editor/publisher of The Walldog, and co-founder of Dirty Work Studio.  The exhibit will also include the publication of an accompanying curatorial essay by Shalaka, designed by Natalie Vuong.

“In this act of burial, is a phrase that comes from scholar Achille Mbembe's work on archives. It highlights how archives affix certain narratives while dampening others,” explains curator Shalaka Jadhav. “Working from a mandate of cultivating place-responsive arts practices in Waterloo Region, In this act of burial brings forward some of the voices and stories that have been overlooked, by investing in arts infrastructure for local artists to speak directly into the permanent collections and archives at the Region of Waterloo.”

In this act of burial – Part II celebrates its opening on Friday, February 20 at Schneider Haus National Historic Site.  This exhibit is displayed on the exterior of the building and is visible from Queen Street.

Hours:
Schneider Haus National Historic Site:  Wednesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

To learn more about In this act of burial – Part II, visit Regionofwaterloomuseums.ca/in-this-act-of-burial-part-2/.

About the Region of Waterloo Museums and Archives

The Region of Waterloo Museums & Archives operates four experiential sites throughout Waterloo Region. Together, Doon Heritage Village, Schneider Haus, McDougall Cottage and the Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum tell stories from this region through educational and public programming, events, and a collection of over 60,000 cultural belongings.