“A few years before her passing, I met with Gladys to offer her a retrospective at Gallery Aferro. She was in her mid 90’s at the time. She boldly informed me she did not want a retrospective, she wanted a solo show of her new work. She let me know she was alive and creating new work every day. She said ‘you can do a retrospective when I’m dead.’
I am so honored that Gladys entrusted Gallery Aferro with the task of being her curatorial liaison in the last few years of her life. Gladys was one of the most loved and trusted artists in the Newark arts scene. We all trusted her to be bold, to seek the truth, to see everyone of us as individuals and as part of something larger.
Gladys was and continues to be our teacher, our mentor, our trusted confidant and our friend. We miss you so very much Gladys. We are still working to honor your legacy and gifts to us.
–EVONNE M. DAVIS, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR at GALLERY AFERRO
“Through her soft colorful strokes, she defined and confronted racism, economic inequality, injustices and false narratives. Gladys’ refusal to be walked on in her advocacy for the defenseless and the voiceless had been my guiding light personally and professionally.”
–LEON GRAUER, NEWARK JUDGE and GLADYS BARKER GRAUER’S SON
“Thank you for making Newark a little better, more sassier, more beautiful, a little bit more funkier and a little bit more correct. Gladys was unafraid to be black, to be beautiful, to be vulnerable, to be artistic, to be loud and to sing her truth.”
–RAS BARAKA, NEWARK MAYOR
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