Exhibit Opening: Die Plage

Harley Gaber was an avant-garde American composer and visual artist celebrated for his minimalist soundscapes and abstract collages. Known for his meditative, introspective compositions, Gaber’s music combines droning tones with a profound attention to texture and atmosphere. His visual work, notably “Die Plage” (The Plague), explores themes from 20th-century history, focusing on how individuals are affected by large-scale events beyond their control.

Gaber grew up in an American Jewish family, but he would have identified himself more as a Buddhist in terms of religion. He was known for his modern, minimalist pieces and in the early 1990s he became more interested in exploring 20th century German history through the medium of collage. He traveled to Germany once a year over a period of seven years and collected photographs from archives and libraries. The images spanned from the Weimar Republic (1917) through the Holocaust (1945). Gaber himself said that Die Plage (the plague) is “not about the Holocaust,” and while it may have been a subconscious effort on his part to try to make sense of the enormity of the tragedy, Gaber’s intentions were more about understanding how individuals become swept up in events and circumstances beyond their control.

"Die Plage" is a monumental collage project, originally encompassing over 4,000 canvases. Each panel combines archival imagery from the Weimar era to the Holocaust, forming a fragmented narrative that evokes a sense of organized chaos. Gaber’s intention, as with his music, was to leave “breaths” between pieces—moments for reflection amid the intensity. Through these layered compositions, Gaber invites viewers to confront painful histories, emphasizing the importance of examining the past to better understand our present and future.

Panel conversation will feature:

• Jordanna Gessler, Chief Impact Officer at Holocaust Museum LA

  • The granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, Jordanna provides strategic leadership for the education and archive departments at Holocaust Museum LA. With over fifteen years of work in the Holocaust Studies field, Jordanna is a visionary leader with a proven track record in leading program, research, and educational initiatives. Jordanna studied Holocaust history as an undergraduate at the University of Vermont and as a graduate student at the University of Haifa. She conducted research in the Righteous Among the Nations Department at Yad Vashem and won the 2014 Yad Vashem Award for Research. Jordanna has written articles and presented internationally on topics including contemporary Antisemitism, fiction and the Holocaust, art and resistance, and teaching empathy.  Passionate about animal rights, civic engagement, advocacy, and education, she is an active member of several non-profit organizations and sits on the board of the Council of American Jewish Museums, which was named by the White House as part of the National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism.

• Melissa Martens Yaverbaum, Exhibit Curator

  • Melissa has three decades of national experience from the world of museums and libraries. Previously she led the Council of American Jewish Museums for a decade, and held curatorial positions with the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York City, the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum in Chicago, and the Jewish Museum of Maryland in Baltimore.  She is the new Executive Director of Portland Ballet, in Maine. 

Featuring a performance of music that inspired Harley Gaber's compositions by the Bauman Trio.

RSVP HERE