Exhibits: In The World, But Not Of It

The Hutterites

Friday, September 16 — Saturday, November 12, 2022

Photography by Tim Smith

Hutterites are often either romanticized or denigrated as quaint and old fashioned. The reality is that their society is very complex. Tim Smith uses photography to document the breadth and complexity of the Hutterite experience as well as to show how colonies navigate the need to respond to the external pressures of the world around them while holding on to key traditions central to their faith.

Smith’s photographs provide a contemporary and nuanced view of the Hutterite colonies—delving into complex decisions at the heart of the everyday. They offer a glimpse into the continuously negotiated sites of Hutterite life. Many of the images focus on the youth culture in the colonies, where expressions of rebellion, respect for tradition, and maintenance of strict gender roles all create a sense of dual resistance—at once against the pressures of the outside world and against tradition. Having devoted twelve years to this ongoing documentation, Smith’s understanding of the Hutterite communities creates a possibility of showing their complexity in ways that are responsive to how they wish to be seen.

Opening Event: Friday, September 16 at 7:30 PM (donation suggested, masks recommended) 

Press Coverage: 

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/2022/09/12/clicking-with-colony-culture

https://chvnradio.com/articles/through-the-lens-over-a-decade-of-life-on-hutterite-colony

Click thumbnails to view full images

Printed from: www.cmu.ca/gallery/exhibits/in-the-world-but-not-of-it