New Special Exhibition Opens this Weekend!
Nunannguaq: In the Likeness of the Earth
October 10, 2009 to January 17, 2010
Organized by the McMichael Canadian Art Collection
October 6, 2009 Kleinburg, ON –To mark the fiftieth anniversary of the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative and to celebrate the remarkable achievement of the internationally acclaimed artistic community of Cape Dorset (Kinngait), the McMichael Canadian Art Collection presents Nunannguaq: In the Likeness of the Earth, an exhibition featuring eighty-seven works spanning over three generations of Cape Dorset artists. Opening at the McMichael on October 10, 2009, and curated by the McMichael’s Anna Stanisz, this exhibition focuses on the representation of the land in the traditional Inuit culture and examines the changes to this vision following the introduction of sedentary lifestyle, southern technologies, and environmental disturbances.
A collection of eighty-seven prints, drawings, and sculptures from well-known artists such as Kiakshuk, Pitseolak Ashoona, Kenojuak Ashevak, Kananginak Pootoogook, and Pudlo Pudlat will be featured alongside works of new generation artists Shuvinai Ashoona, Annie Pootoogook, Itee Pootoogook, Kavavaow Mannomee, Jutai Toonoo, Arnaqu Ashevak, Ningeokuluk Teevee, and Tim Pitsiulak.
In Inuktitut, the word Nunannguaq translates into “in the likeness of the earth,” which refers to a complex system used (like a map) to record ancient pathways. Rapid climate change and awareness of the world beyond the Arctic has led to a new perception of the North within a wider global perspective. Nunannguaq looks at the challenge new generation artists face in renegotiating their place in a global environment on their own terms, creating their own Nunannguaq, a visual map of the Arctic.
“Nearly twenty years ago, the McMichael became home to the extraordinary Cape Dorset archive of some 100,000 prints and drawings. Nunannguaq: In the Likeness of the Earth explores a dimension of the Cape Dorset archive and brings it into the twenty-first century,” said Tom Smart, McMichael’s Executive Director and CEO. “We congratulate and salute the great work of the Cape Dorset artists, and the Co-op, and we are proud to play a part in preserving and exhibiting this national treasure.”
About Cape Dorset and the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative
Cape Dorset (also known as “Kinngait” in Inuktitut) is a hamlet located on Dorset Island off the southwest tip of Baffin Island in Nunavut. Named after the mountains which make up the region (Kinngait means “high mountains”), Cape Dorset has become a centre for Inuit drawing, printmaking, and carving since the arrival of James Houston in the 1950s.
The West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative was founded and incorporated in 1959, becoming the community’s first economic development association. Since its inception, the
Co-operative has developed an international reputation for its involvement in promoting greater awareness and appreciation of Inuit fine art. As a result, the arts industry continues to lead Cape Dorset’s economic activities.
About Anna Stanisz
Anna Stanisz, the Assistant Curator of the Education Department at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, began her career at the McMichael as an Educator, leading tours for school and adult groups. From 2003 to 2008, she was the McMichael’s Docent Program Coordinator, supervising and training forty-five volunteers who deliver school and adult tours at the gallery.
Anna is currently responsible for developing multiple interpretative projects including didactic panels and displays, multimedia content, and educational exhibits. She recently curated the McMichael’s War: A Family Affair, an exhibition of works by Elaine Goble and Scott Waters, sheco-curated the McMichael’s travelling exhibition Our Home and Native Land, which opened in July 2007 at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C., and is the curator of Child’s Play, an educational exhibitwhich is currently on display at the McMichael until February 14, 2010.
Anna has also worked as an assistant curator at the National Museum in Cracow, Poland and holds a master’s degree in Art History and Archeology from the University of Paris-Sorbonne (Paris IV) located in Paris, France.
About the Gallery
The McMichael Canadian Art Collection is an agency of the Government of Ontario and acknowledges the support of the Ministry of Culture. It is the foremost venue in the country showcasing the Group of Seven and their contemporaries. In addition to touring exhibitions, its permanent collection consists of more than 5,500 artworks, including paintings by the Group of Seven and their contemporaries, First Nations and Inuit artists.
The gallery is located on Islington Avenue, north of Major Mackenzie Drive in Kleinburg, and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For further information:
Stephen Weir, Publicist
Gallery: 905.893.1121 ext. 2529
Toronto Office: 416.489.5868
Cell: 416.801.3101
s1weir@aol.com or sweir5492@rogers.com
Cathy Lepiane, Communications Coordinator
McMichael Canadian Art Collection
905.893.1121 ext. 2210
clepiane@mcmichael.com
