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Kenojuak Ashevak, The Enchanted Owl

Kenojuak Ashevak, The Enchanted Owl, 1960. Stonecut on paper, sheet: 59.7 x 65 cm. Gift of Samuel and Esther Sarick, Toronto, 2002. © Estate of Kenojuak Ashevak.  

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Tunirrusiangit: Kenojuak Ashevak and Tim Pitsiulak

June 16 - August 12, 2018

ᑐᓂᕐᕈᓯᐊᖏᑦ: ᕿᓐᓄᐊᔪᐊᖅ ᐋᓯᕙᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑎᒻ ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓛᖅ

ᔫᓂ 16 − ᐊᐅᒡᒍᓯ 12, 2018

ᑖᓐᓇ ᑕᑯᑦᓴᐅᑎᑕᐅᔪᖅ ᐱᖃᓯᐅᔾᔨᔪᖅ ᐃᓘᓐᓇᐃᓐᓄᑦ ᐃᑎᕈᑎᒥᒃ

ᑕᖅᑲᐅᖓ ᒪᑐᐃᖅᑐᖅ

ᔫᓂ 13, 6-9 ᐅᓐᓄᒃᑯᑦ

ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᔪᑦ ᕿᒥᕐᕈᓂᖓᑦ:

ᔫᓂ 13, 14 ᐊᒻᒪᓗ 15

ᐅᐸᒐᑦᓴᖅ ᐊᑭᖃᖅᑎᓐᓇᒍ. ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᓕᕆᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᒥ!

ᐅᖃᖃᑕᐅᒋᑦ

 

This exhibition is included with general admission.

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“A star-making display of Inuit art” – Toronto Star

 

ᑕᑯᑦᓴᐅᔪᑦᓴᓂᒃ ᕿᒥᕐᕈᓂᖅ

 

ᐊᐅᔭᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᕐᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃ ᐋᓐᑎᐅᕆᐅᒥ ᓇᓪᓕᐅᓂᖅᓯᐅᕈᑎᖃᕐᒪᑦ ᓴᙱᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᖏᑦᑕ ᑲᑎᑎᑦᓯᑦᓱᑎᒃ ᒪᕐᕉᓐᓂᒃ ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᖅᑎᒻᒪᕇᓐᓂᒃ − ᕿᓐᓄᐊᔪᐊᖅ ᐋᓯᕙᒃ ᓄᐊᑯᓗᖓᓗ ᑎᒻᒨᑎ (ᑎᒻ) ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓛᖅ − ᑕᑯᑦᓴᐅᑎᓐᓂᐊᖅᑕᑎᓐᓂ. ᐋᓯᕙᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓛᖅ ᑕᑯᑦᓴᐅᑎᑦᓯᓲᒃ ᑭᖑᕚᕇᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᓅᓐᓂᒃ ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᖅᑏᓐᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᑦᓴᐅᑎᑦᓯᖃᑦᑕᖅᓯᒪᔫᓐᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᓐᓈᖅᑎᒥᓐᓄᑦ ᐃᓄᓐᓄᓪᓗ ᓄᑖᒃᑯᑦ ᑕᑯᓐᓇᕈᓯᒃᑯᑦ. ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᒥ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᖏᑦ ᑕᑯᑦᓴᐅᑎᑕᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᕐᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒻᒥ ᐋᓐᑎᐅᕆᐅᒥ ᐊᖏᓂᖅᐹᒥ ᑕᑯᑦᓴᐅᑎᑦᓯᕕᖓᓂ, ᑕᐃᔭᐅᔪᖅ Sam & Ayala Zacks Pavilion, ᑕᑯᑦᓴᐅᑎᑦᓯᓂᐊᖅᓱᑎᒃ ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓛᖅ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᒥ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᑯᒻᒥᒃ ᐃᓱᒪᖃᕐᓂᖓᓂᒃ. ᑕᑯᑦᓴᐅᑎᑦᓯᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᓪᓗᐊᑕᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᓂᑦ ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᖅᑏᒃ, ᑕᑯᓂᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᑕᑯᒍᓐᓇᑦᓯᐊᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᓴᙱᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᐃᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᖓᓃᙶᖅᓱᑎᒃ ᐃᓅᑉ ᐱᖅᑯᓯᖅᑎᒍᑦ ᐃᓚᒍᑦᓯᐅᔾᔨᓯᒪᕙᑦᓱᑎᒃ ᖃᐅᑕᒫᖅ ᐃᓅᓯᐅᔪᒥᒃ ᐃᑎᓂᖅᐹᖓᓄᑦ.

 

EXHIBITION OVERVIEW

This summer the AGO celebrates the power of Inuit art by bringing together two extraordinary artists – Kenojuak Ashevak and her nephew Timootee (Tim) Pitsiulak – in our major exhibition of the season. Ashevak and Pitsiulak represent two generations of Inuit artists who have challenged viewers to respond to their art and the Inuit world view in new ways. The exhibition will be the first time Inuit art is showcased in the AGO’s largest exhibition space, the Sam & Ayala Zacks Pavilion, and will be Pitsiulak’s first major gallery retrospective. The exhibition will feature key art works and sketches by each artist, enabling visitors to appreciate the strength of drawing as an expression of Inuit cultural heritage that engages everyday life at its deepest level.

Organized by the Art Gallery of Ontario in partnership with Mobilizing Inuit Cultural Heritage, with the support of Dorset Fine Arts, a division of the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative. 

ARTWORKS FROM THE EXHIBITION

Tim Pitsiulak, Swimming Bear

Tim Pitsiulak. Swimming Bear, 2016. India ink and coloured pencil on paper, 74.9 x 105.4 cm. Purchased with funds donated by Greg Latremoille, 2017. © Estate of Tim Pitsiulak.

Tim Pitsiulak, Swimming Bear
Kenojuak Ashevak, Luminous Fish

Kenojuak Ashevak, Luminous Char, 2008. Stonecut, stencil, Overall: 51.1 x 63.8 cm. Courtesy of Dorset Fine Arts. © Estate of Kenojuak Ashevak.

Kenojuak Ashevak, Luminous Char
Tim Pitsiulak, Computer Generation

Tim Pitsiulak, Computer Generation, 2012. Coloured pencil, 50.8 x 66 cm. RBC Art Collection. © Estate of Tim Pitsiulak

Tim Pitsiulak, Computer Generation
Kenojuak Ashevak, Bountiful Bird

Kenojuak Ashevak. Bountiful Bird, 1986. Stonecut and stencil, 62.5 x 83.1 cm. Gift of Samuel and Esther Sarick, Toronto, 2002.  © Estate of Kenojuak Ashevak.

Kenojuak Ashevak, Bountiful Bird
Tim Pitsiulak, Hero 4

Tim Pitsiulak, Hero 4, 2015. Pastel, 76.2 x 111.8 cm. Collection of Craig Wilbanks and Monty Kehl. © Estate of Tim Pitsiulak

Tim Pitsiulak, Hero 4
Kenojuak Ashevak, The Woman Who Lives in the Sun

Kenojuak Ashevak, The Woman Who Lives in the Sun, 1960. Stonecut on paper, Overall: 49.7 x 66.2 cm. Gift of Samuel and Esther Sarick, Toronto, 2002. © Estate of Kenojuak Ashevak

Kenojuak Ashevak, The Woman Who Lives in the Sun
Kenojuak Ashevak, Large Bird from the Sun

Kenojuak Ashevak. Large Bird from the Sun, 1979. Stonecut and stencil, 62.5 x 83.1 cm. Gift of Samuel and Esther Sarick, Toronto, 2002.  © Estate of Kenojuak Ashevak.

Kenojuak Ashevak, Large Bird from the Sun

ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᖅᑎᓅᖓᔪᑦ

ᑭᙵᕐᓃᓐᙶᖅᑑᒃ (ᑕᐃᔭᐅᖃᑦᑕᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ Cape Dorset) ᓄᓇᕗᑦ, ᕿᓐᓄᐊᔪᐊᖅ ᐋᓯᕙᒃ (1927–2013), ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎᑖᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ, ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᐅᔪᖅ “ᐊᓈᓇᑦᓯᐊᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᖏᓐᓄᑦ.” ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᐅᑦᓯᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᖅᑎᒍᑦ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖅᑐᐊᖏᑦᑎᒍᑦ ᑕᐸᐃᕐᓇᖅᑐᓂᓪᓗ ᐊᑐᕈᓐᓇᕐᓂᖓᓂᒃ ᐊᒥᐊᕈᑎᓂᒃ. ᐋᓯᕙᒃ ᐱᕕᐊᕆᓪᓚᕆᑦᓯᒪᔭᖓ ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓛᑉ (1967–2016), ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᐅᒻᒪᕆᓕᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᖅᑕᐅᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᖏᓐᓅᖓᔪᓄᑦ ᑮᑕᑲᐃᓐᓇᐹᓘᒐᓗᐊᖅ ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᖅᑎᐅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐆᒪᔪᙳᐊᓂᒃ ᐊᖑᓇᓱᑦᑎᐅᑉ ᐃᔨᖏᑦᑎᒍᑦ, ᐊᑐᖅᓯᓐᓈᖅᓱᓂ ᐅᐊᔭᒨᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᓃᙶᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᓕᓐᓂ.  

 

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Hailing from Kinngait (previously known as Cape Dorset) Nunavut, Kenojuak Ashevak (1927–2013), an Order of Canada recipient, is known as the “grandmother of Inuit art.” She is famous for her fluid graphic storytelling and stunning use of magic markers. Ashevak heavily inspired Pitsiulak (1967–2016), who became a popular figure in Inuit art during his relatively short career for drawing animal figures with a hunter’s precision, and for capturing the technological presence of the South in the hamlet.

ᐋᖅᑭᑦᓱᐃᖃᑎᒌᑦᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᒥᑦᓴᐃᓐᓄᑦ

ᑲᓱᖅᑎᑕᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᑎᑎᖅᑐᖔᖅᑏᒃ ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᖏᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓂᐱᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᒥ, ᓴᓇᐅᒐᕐᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃ ᐋᓐᑎᐅᕆᐅᓪᒥ ᖃᐃᖁᔨᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᓄᑦᑕᑎᑦᓯᓂᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐱᖅᑯᓯᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᑦᓴᕐᓂᑕᕐᓂᒃ (MICH) ᐊᐅᓚᓂᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᔪᐊᕐᒃ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᓴᕐᕕᔾᔪᐊᕐᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑭᙵᐃᑦ ᑯᐊᐸᒃᑯᖏᑦ (WBEC) ᑲᑎᑎᑦᓯᓗᑎᒃ ᐋᖅᑭᑦᓱᐃᖃᑎᒌᑦᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᐱᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᐃᓄᓐᓂᒃ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᖅᑎᓂᒃ ᐋᖅᑭᑦᓱᐃᔨᓂᓪᓗ.  

 

ᐋᖅᑭᑦᓱᐃᖃᑎᒌᑦᑐᑦ ᐅᑯᐊ:

ᖁᒻᒧᐊᑦᑐᖅ (ᑰᔨ) ᑰᓕ (ᐋᑐᕚ)

ᑕᕐᕋᓕᒃ ᐹᑐᕆᔾ (ᑲᐅᑐᑭᓄ, ᓄᐊᕖ)

ᔮᔅᓕᓐ ᐲᕋᐃᓇᓐ (ᐋᑐᕚ)

ᓛᒃᑯᓗᒃ ᐅᐃᓕᐊᒻᓴᓐ ᕚᖢᕆ (ᐃᖃᓗᐃᑦ)

ᔪᐊᔾᔩᓇ ᐅᓪᔭᕆᒃ, ᕗᕋᑐᕆᒃ ᓯ. ᐄᑕᓐ ᐋᖅᑭᑦᓱᐃᔨ, ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᐃᑦ, ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᓯᒪᔪᓄᑦ ᑲᓇᑕᒥᐅᓄᓪᓗ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᓕᕆᔩᑦ, ᓱᓇᐅᒐᕐᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃ ᐋᓐᑎᐅᕆᐅᓪᒥ

ᐋᓇ ᕼᐊᑦᓴᓐ, ᐃᓕᓴᐃᔨᕐᔪᐊᖅ, ᔪᐊᕐᒃ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᓴᕐᕕᔾᔪᐊᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑎᓪᓗᐊᑕᐅᓗᓂ ᓄᑦᑕᑎᑦᓯᓂᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐱᖅᑯᓯᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᑦᓴᕐᓂᑕᕐᓂᓪᓗ (MICH) ᐊᐅᓚᓂᕐᒥ

 

ABOUT THE CURATORIAL TEAM

To link the work of these artists to Inuit voices today, the AGO has invited Mobilizing Inuit Cultural Heritage (MICH) project at York University as well as the West Baffin Eskimo Cooperative (WBEC) to bring together a curatorial team comprising of Inuit artists and curators.

This team includes:

  • Koomuatuk (Kuzy) Curley (Ottawa)
  • Taqralik Partridge (Kautokeino, Norway)
  • Jocelyn Piirainen (Ottawa)
  • Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory (Iqaluit)
  • Georgiana Uhlyarik, Fredrik S. Eaton Curator, Canadian Art, Indigenous and Canadian Art Department, AGO
  • Anna Hudson, professor, York University and Principal Investigator of the Mobilizing Inuit Cultural Heritage (MICH) project

Find out more about the team and their curatorial approach.

 

VIDEO: I am the light of happiness

Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory performing her poem I am the light of happiness. Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory is an uaajeerneq (Greenlandic mask dance) performer, an Inuk artist and a co-curator of Tunirrusiangit: Kenojuak Ashevak and Tim Pitsiulak at the Art Gallery of Ontario

AUDIO STORIES

Taqralik Partridge is an Inuk spoken word performer and writer, originally from Kuujjuak, Nunavik and now living in Kautokeino, northern Norway. She is one of the co-curators of Tunirrusiangit: Kenojuak Ashevak and Tim Pitsiulak. Her stories about Inuit life and experience are included in the exhibition.

Listen Now

EXHIBITION CATALOGUE

Tunirrusiangit catalogue book cover

Tunirrusiangit, "their gifts" or "what they gave" in Inuktitut, celebrates the achievements of two remarkable artists who challenged the parameters of tradition while consistently articulating a compelling vision of the Inuit world view. Published to coincide with a major exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ontario, opening on 16 June and continuing until late August, Tunirrusiangit features more than 60 reproductions of paintings, drawings, and documentary photographs. Completing the book are essays by contemporary artists and curators Jocelyn Piirainen, Anna Hudson, Georgiana Uhlyarik, Koomuatuk Curley, Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory, and Taqralik Partridge that address both the past and future of Inuit identity.

Buy the Catalogue

 

Tunirrusiangit Promotions

Oscardo Mug with Kenojuak Ashevak Enchanted Owl

ShopAGO

shopAGO celebrates the power of Inuit art and culture in Canada with a selection of beautiful books, prints, totes, décor and more. Experience the exhibition and take a piece of it home with you as a reminder of the creative expression found in Inuit cultural heritage.

Buy Now

 

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