The Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG) was established in 1912 and is Canada’s oldest civic gallery. Late last month, it threw the doors open to a stunning addition—an art centre comprising the world’s largest collection of contemporary Inuit art. The 40,000-square-foot centre is called Qaumajuq, which is Inuktitut and translates to, “It is bright, it is lit.” With its radiant white stone facade and sun-drenched interior, it’s aptly named.
I was fortunate to snag an invitation to a virtual sneak peek of Qaumajuq before it opened its doors to the public. While the photos and video of the building and exhibitions were impressive, I knew that experiencing this space in-person wouldn’t compare. So, I held off writing about this fantastic new addition to the Winnipeg landscape until I could walk through the doors myself.
Inuit Art
Last year on our trip to Churchill, we visited the Itsanitaq Museum, which features some of the world’s oldest Inuit carvings and artifacts. We were blown away by the intricate and finely detailed carvings. Although I had seen Inuit art before, Churchill’s small gallery offered an intimate view I hadn’t experienced. This gorgeous new gallery at the WAG will allow visitors from around the world a chance to experience traditional and contemporary Inuit artistic expression.
The collection of art on display is extensive. In addition to the WAG’s 14,000-piece Inuit art collection, the Government of Nunavut has loaned more than 7,400 additional pieces to the Qaumajuq cultural campus, which will return to Nunavut when its planned Heritage Centre is completed.
Artist: David Ruben Piqtoukun
Winnipeg is located on Treaty 1 Indigenous land, more than 2,000 kilometres from Nunavut, which is Inuit territory. So, it’s fair to ask why it is home to this large collection of art from Nunavut. The WAG acquired a lot of its collection from private collections that date back to the Hudson Bay Company’s early role in the global Inuit art market. The WAG embarked on the creation of Qaumajuq as part of its response to Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission report. The gallery’s Indigenous Advisory Circle was involved in its conception and included extensive consultation with Indigenous communities.
Architecture and Standout Features
Qaumajuq’s Los Angeles-based architect Michael Maltzan embarked on the design process in 2013 by visiting Nunavut as part of a team to explore Inuit communities and artists’ studios. The building replicates the feeling of the vast, wide-open northern landscape and reflects aspects of historical and contemporary Inuit art and culture.
Northern Lights Projection/Photo courtesy of WAG
I love that many of the centre’s areas have an English and corresponding name in Inuktitut or another regional Indigenous language.
Ilavut (Entrance Hall & Gallery Shop): Ilavut means our relatives. The shop offers many handmade items from jewellery to substantial Inuit carvings that will set you back just a few thousand dollars. They’re gorgeous.
Katita Cafe: Katita means let’s get together in Inuktitut. The name instantly conjures the warm feeling of sharing a coffee or bite to eat with a friend.
The Visible Vault – The first thing visitors see upon entering the centre is the multi-story glass case that houses the WAG’s striking Inuit artwork collection. It’s an impressive welcome. Glass floors at one end of the vault allow you to see the storage spaces below. The number of art pieces on display is dizzying, and one could linger at the vault for quite some time admiring the tremendous variety of carvings.
The centre’s three exhibit galleries, a collaborative research centre, education centre, outdoor plaza, and a lecture room demonstrate that Qaumajuq is more than just a place to view art. It’s designed to bridge Canada’s North and South, facilitate collaboration among artists, and as the WAG’s promotional material states, “[act] as a vibrant gathering place where all are welcome and where everyone’s stories are told and heard in a true spirit of reconciliation.”
Gallery Exhibition Impressions
The inaugural INUA exhibit (INUA means life force or spirit), curated by an all Inuit-led team, features contemporary and previous works spanning generations. It includes works from artists in Canada, Alaska, and Greenland.
This exhibition includes many stunning art pieces. What struck me most were the vibrant colours mixed with natural materials such as bone and animal hide. All of the art engaged me, but two pieces stood out for me.
The story behind artist Jesse Tunglik’s seal skin space suit is an example of a contemporary theme mixed with traditional materials. Jesse’s inspiration for the piece was his recollection of being out on the tundra enveloped in his sealskin parka and imagining that he was an astronaut walking on the moon. I related to this piece because when we visited Bird Cove in Churchill (about 150 km from the Nunavut border) to see the Ithaca shipwreck at low tide, I remarked to Steve that the landscape could stand-in for the moon in a movie.
Caption: Jesse Tunglik created this piece in collaboration with Concordia University students when he was an artist in residence there.
The other piece I could not stop examining was the dress Maata Kyak’s created. Kyak is from Pond Inlet in Nunavut and wanted to create a piece that represented how Inuit are flourishing. She made the flowers from sealskin and adorned the petals with beads and pearls. It’s absolutely beautiful to behold.
Pandemic Details
There were many sections of the gallery that I wanted to examine more closely. Due to pandemic concerns, I wasn’t comfortable lingering too long on this Sunday afternoon visit. I’m eager to visit again, perhaps post-vaccination. Note that admission is by appointment only for a two-hour duration. Other protocols include a self-screening process upon entry and mandatory mask use.
Qaumajuq makes this Winnipegger proud
As an unapologetic Winnipeg booster, Qaumajuq provides one more reason to boast about my hometown. I have no doubt this museum and learning centre will sit among the world’s best as local and international visitors begin to experience this unique space.
*Feature photo by Lindsay Reid/courtesy of the WAG
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