The exhibition New Inuit Art. Contemporary Art from Kinngait was presented at National Museum of Ethnography in Warsaw, Poland from 15 March to 29 May 2022. Comprising drawing, prints and sculpture created by member artists of the West Baffin Eskimo Cooperative, this groundbreaking exhibition is the first of its kind in Warsaw. New Inuit Art is curated by William Huffman for West Baffin Eskimo Cooperative.

The history of Inuit art is rich with diverse approaches to depicting history, the land, environment, wildlife, traditional practices or mythologies. On the one hand, the creative expression that emerges from Kinngait has documented with precision, the artists’ Arctic world, while on the other, the work guides us through moments of pure imagination. From a historic perspective, Inuit artists have given us glimpses into customary living such as representations of Igloo dwellings and their contents and perhaps illustrations of hunting and the preparation of country food. That early imagery, mostly communicated through the printmaking medium, rapidly built an international following for the Inuit art of Kinngait. In a contemporary context, Inuit art has become increasingly known for its synthesis of older artistic conventions with new and current influences. The North is a constantly evolving and increasingly dynamic place, developments in architecture and technology are apparent, fostering a growing interconnectedness between local communities, while facilitating bridge-building with the South and internationally.

This exhibition features printmaking, drawing and sculpture created in the last decade, by artist members of the West Baffin Eskimo Cooperative, an organization that established its Kinngait Studios in 1959. Located in the Canadian Arctic, Kinngait Studios is the oldest fine art atelier in Canada with an emphasis on the printmaking medium. At the heart of the exhibition is the exploration of highly contemporary narratives from an uniquely Inuit perspective, while demonstrating that the work continues to reflect essential aspects of Inuit culture, such as an especially strong sense of history, a deep connection to the land and a kinship with the animals that share this Arctic environment.

Presented in the context of the National Ethnographic Museum in Warsaw, this exhibition resonates with the unexpected; traditional subject matter presented in highly unusual ways or imagery that entirely departs from what we associate as Inuit. Creatures born of pure fantasy, places that are as familiar as they are completely foreign, typical activities like hunting are counterpointed by the unexplained; all coexist in the exhibition and serve to illustrate a multiplicity within the Inuit art milieu. The discipline of ethnography, and the associated study of anthropology, were almost exclusively the lenses through which Inuit art and other Indigenous creativity was viewed. That is to say, Inuit creative expression was certainly seen as important and unique but the vocabulary of analysis was something other than that of the modern or of art, more in the realm of artifact. It is intentional that the exhibition both acknowledges and resists that classification, situating itself in the domain of contemporary art. Inspired by the Inuit art history of Kinngait, fuelled by experiences of life in the North, straddling tradition and the now, New Inuit Art. Contemporary Art from Kinngait is about an expression of artistic duality, one that is distinctly Inuit.

About the Artists

Saimaiyu Akesuk (1988, Iqaluit) Saimaiyu Akesuk is a Kinngait Studios artist who was born in Iqaluit but has spent the majority of her life in Kinngait (Cape Dorset). Her images of birds and bears are characterized by a bold and dynamic simplicity rendered with soft tenderness and often a touch of whimsy. Akesuk participated in 2015 The Brooklyn Museum Inuit Artist in Residence Program and was featured at the 2017 Inuit Art Symposium, hosted by The Drake Hotel in Toronto.

Ningeosiaq Ashoona (1977, Saturituk) is one of the only female sculptors working in Kinngait today and has been deeply influenced by the history of women working in carved stone. Her favourite subject is the loon, which she often interprets conventionally but can also create hybrids with multiple heads or in states of transformation. Ashoona has been carving since 1998 and has had numerous solo exhibitions across Canada.

Shuvinai Ashoona (1961, Kinngait) first came to prominence in the late 1990s, when her work was included in the 1997 Cape Dorset Annual Print Collection. She emerged as one of the most recognizable Kinngait artists working today, with an aesthetic that incorporates both renderings of traditional Inuit culture to the imagery drawn from pure fantasy. Her work has been exhibited at museums and galleries across Canada, internationally, and in many important festivals, including La Biennale di Venezia, Sydney Biennial, and Site Santa Fe. In 2018, Ashoona was the recipient of the prestigious Gershon Iskowitz Prize.

Kellipalik Kudlu (1982, Iqaluit) has a familial connection to artmaking having been taught how to carve by his father and brother. Beginning at a young age, his first carving was a traditional Inukshuk which he created in the mid-1990s. His skill in the stone medium allows Kudlu to render highly stylized details while always acknowledging the unique qualities of the material. Kudlu’s practice is inspired by Inuit art history, the natural world and his own imagination, with preferred motifs being Inukshuks, birds, seals and masks.

Qavavau Manumie (1958, Brandon, Manitoba) works in the drawing medium and as a master stonecut printmaker. He has demonstrated a range of stylistic abilities over the years, from the very literal to the more expressive. Manumie’s work is distinctive and often amusing in his depictions of Inuit legends and mythology, Arctic wildlife and contemporary aspects of Inuit life. He is the latest among the second generation to attract critical acclaim from the modern arts audience in the south. His work has been included in the Sydney Biennial and Toronto Biennial of Art.

Johnny Pootoogook (1970, Kinngait) is a talented sculptor, graphic artist, and printmaker. His work is inspired by his Inuit culture and depicts a wide range of subject matter, from nature studies to depictions of community life. Pootoogook has had several exhibitions throughout his career, and his work resides in several prestigious collections, including the Canadian Museum of History and TD Bank.

Palaya Qiatsuq (1965, Kinngait) works in soapstone and bone, often favouring owls, dancing bears, people in traditional everyday activities, such as hunting or fishing as subject matter. Although frequently stylized, his work's observational quality conveys the close relationship to nature and the local environment. Qiatsuq has demonstrated, lectured, and shown his artwork across Canada, Europe and the United States.

Pitseolak Qimirpik (1986, Kinngait) is at the helm of a surging generation of Inuit artists practicing the traditional approach of stone carving but juxtaposing that material history by exploring highly contemporary signifiers in their work. From eroticism to weird hybrid creatures and from placing iPods on all manner of people and fauna to Simpsons characters, Qimirpik seeks inspiration from the history of Inuit art but borrows his subject matter from the here and now. He will update conventional subject matter by anthropomorphizing the activity of animals or adding pop culture props and other unexpected elements.

Ooloosie Siala (1991, Kinngait) explores many diverse themes in her work but frequently returns to her unique depictions of Kinngait landscape and wildlife. Saila’s drawings and prints rely heavily on rich colour and abstract forms to capture the land, sea, and sky surrounding her Arctic community. At the early stages of her career, she draws increasing attention from Canadian and international collectors.

Toonoo Sharky (1970, Kinngait) is recognized for his mastery of stone, new tools and techniques. Although constantly evolving, his work currently takes the form of birds, fish, Shaman, transformations or masks and often features different coloured serpentine stone inlay to create the eyes of the subject. Sharky principally sculpts on the larger scale and sometimes takes the stone medium to its limit by carving it very thinly, resulting in uniquely fluid pieces.

About National Ethnographic Museum in Warsaw

The National Ethnographic Museum is a space where the achievements of world culture meet with individual sensitivity, becoming an inspiration to discover the beauty of diversity. In modern interiors, we present permanent and temporary exhibitions of interdisciplinary character and diverse themes. The autonomous structure of our institution is dedicated to the youngest Children’s Museum, where you can touch everything. The museum also has a library and the Antropos cinema with an unconventional repertoire. In the Bílý Koníček café you can get acquainted with the offer of the bookstore and shop while drinking coffee. In addition, the museum hosts trade fairs, special events, meetings with authors, workshops and seminars. Therefore, we encourage you to actively participate in culture – children, youth and adults. Our mission is to collect diversity and richness of cultures around the world and present their values as a nationwide good, thus contributing to the development of an open society.

Project Supporters

New Inuit Art. Contemporary Art from Kinngait is presented in partnership with Fundacja Kultury i Dziedzictwa and is made possible with the generous support of the Embassy of Canada to Poland and presenting partner National Ethnographic Museum in Warsaw. Special thanks to Bireta Professional Translations, B2RLaw Jankowski Stroiński Zięba & Partners and U-jazdowski Centre for Contemporary Art.

Exhibition Documentation

This selection of images provides a visual overview of the installation at National Ethnographic Museum in Warsaw. The exhibition comprises a selection of drawings, prints and sculptures created in the last decade by artist members of West Baffin Eskimo Cooperative. Photographs are courtesy Przemyslaw Walczak and Tomasz Ozdoba.