CULTURE AND ARTS: Laura de Harde’s 'Symbols of Neutrality' is set to open tomorrow. Photo: Contributed
CULTURE AND ARTS: Laura de Harde’s 'Symbols of Neutrality' is set to open tomorrow. Photo: Contributed

De Harde’s 'Symbols of Neutrality' opens tomorrow

Exploring national identity through stamps
The exhibition delves into the role of stamps as emblems of culture, history and post-colonial identity in southern Africa.
Michael Kayunde
The Swakopmund Arts Association is set to host ‘Symbols of Neutrality’, an exhibition by artist and curator Dr Laura de Harde. The exhibition will open tomorrow, 21 September, at 17:00 at the Woermannhaus Art Gallery.

De Harde, an accomplished artist and researcher based in Johannesburg, uses the Namibian flame lily stamp as a focal point in her latest body of work. She delves into the role these seemingly mundane objects play in shaping a nation's identity. While stamps are often viewed as functional, their designs - celebrating significant figures, events and symbols - reflect the cultural and historical narratives of the countries they represent.

“In ‘Symbols of Neutrality’, De Harde explores the dual nature of postage stamps: Their status as emblems of national pride, yet their everyday presence rendering them almost invisible in daily life,” a press statement read.

Her work particularly focuses on the temporality of identity in post-colonial southern Africa, highlighting the arbitrary nature of political borders and the legacies they impose.

De Harde, who holds a PhD in art history from the University of the Witwatersrand, has long been engaged in uncovering marginalised histories through art and research. Her work has been widely published and exhibited, including her recent project ‘Inherited Obsessions’ at the Ditsong National Museum of Cultural History in South Africa. With ‘Symbols of Neutrality’, she continues her inquiry into the intersections of art, history and identity.

This exhibition is part of her broader engagement with Namibia, as she will also present ‘Dis/entangled’ at the Swakopmund Museum on Tuesday, 24 September, at 18:00.

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Namibian Sun 2024-11-10

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