Towards Something New and Beautiful + Future Snowmachines in Kinngait, an installation for Every. Now. Then. at the Art Gallery of Ontario curated by Andrew Hunter (the AGO’s Fredrik S. Eaton Curator, Canadian Art) with Quill Christie-Peters (artist and youth educator), Anique Jordan (artist, educator and activist) and Laura Robb (AGO Interpretive Planner).
http://canadianart.ca/reviews/everybody-talking-every-now/
http://designlinesmagazine.com/pa-system/
Our installation includes work that we have done collaboratively, under our collective name PA System, and work that we have done collaboratively with our best friends, the youth that we work with in Kinngait (Cape Dorset), as Embassy of Imagination. We have work in two sites at the gallery as part of this exhibition: the window to the left of the main entrance on Dundas st. and in the 4th floor gallery.
Towards Something New and Beautiful + Future Snowmachines in Kinngait, features collaborative works by Christine Adamie, Lachaolasie Akesuk, Moe Kelly, David Pudlat and Nathan Adla. Together, we have created sculptures of snowmobiles cast from aluminum from the remains of their old school (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/cape-dorset-arson-reaction-1.3773094). A limited edition of these aluminum-cast sculptures are available for purchase to fund a locally-run Elders and youth land-trip program in Kinngait. Funds from the sales of our works as PA System will support future Embassy of Imagination projects for the youth of Kinngait.
Kinngait youth artists featured:
Playdough snowmobiles: Taqialuk Nuna, Cie Taqiasuk, David Pudlat, Moe Kelly, Koonoo Akesuk, Latch Akesuk, Tommy Quvianaqtuliaq, Saaki Nuna, Janice Allooloo, Christine Adamie, Nathan Adla
Video documentation of Piliriqatigiinginiq: Lachaolasie Akesuk, Parr Josephee, Aoudi Qinnayuaq, Cie Taqiasuk, Julieta Arias, and Moises Frank
Video documentation of EOI summer projects Tunnganarniq (Fostering good spirits by being open, welcoming and inclusive) and Pijitsirniq (Serving and providing for family and/or community): Daniel Qiatsuk, Ezeevalu Samayualie, Johnny Samayualie, Moe Kelly, Iqaluk Quvianaqtuliaq, Jordan Taukie, Salomonie Ashoona, Cie Taqiasuk, Tommy Quvianaqtuliaq, Parr Josephee, Annie Oshutsiaq, Christine Adamie, Iola Lampron, Taqialuk Nuna, Joanasie Tunnillie, Olootoa Quvianaqtuliaq, Saaki Nuna, Aggiu Ashevak, Iqaluk Ainalik, Kevin Qimirpik, Koonoo Akesuk, Ruth Jaw, Shawn Oqutaq, Ashevak Ashoona, Niru Padluq, Kelly Ashoona, Janice Qimirpik, David Pudlat, Manumee Ragee, Harry Josephee, Isacie Shaa, Salomonie Ivaluajuk, Oqittuq Shaa, Uqittuq Parr
Towards Something New and Beautiful + Future Snowmachines in Kinngait. Installation in the 4th floor gallery, Art Gallery of Ontario.
Playdough miniatures on the left: Taqialuk Nuna, Cie Taqiasuk, David Pudlat, Moe Kelly, Koonoo Akesuk, Latch Akesuk, Tommy Quvianaqtuliaq, Saaki Nuna, Janice Allooloo, Christine Adamie, Nathan Adla
Collaborative cast-aluminum sculptures left to right: Moe Kelly & David Pudlat, Lachaolasie Akesuk, Nathan Adla and Christine Adamie.
Linocut block and print, aluminum casts made from playdough snowmobile by Lachaolasie Akesuk (age 16), Nathan Adla (age 13), and Christine Adamie (age 13), handwritten notes of Embassy of Imagination dreams, calacatta marble
Figures made from 3D scans of our young friends in Kinngait cast from copper from the former Peter Pitseolak School in Kinngait (Cape Dorset, NU). Casting help from Fair Trade Jewellery Co.
Figures made from 3D scans of our young friends in Kinngait, 3D printed, installed on calacatta marble
Playdough snowmobiles, aluminum cast of playdough snowmobile by David Pudlat and Moe Kelly (age 12), handwritten notes of Embassy of Imagination dreams, playdough originals
Aluminum cast of playdough snowmobile by Lachaolasie Akesuk (age 16), handwritten notes of Embassy of Imagination dreams, linocut block and print
Aluminum cast of playdough snowmobile by Nathan Adla (age 13), handwritten notes of Embassy of Imagination dreams
Aluminum cast of playdough snowmobile by Christine Adamie (age 13)
Process Book for Future Snowmachines in Kinngait. Cover drawing by Ezeevalu Samayualie.
Embassy of Imagination video installation at front of Art Gallery of Ontario.
Video of Piliriqatigiingniq, EOI's first public mural down south in Toronto, during the Pan Am Games by Lachaolasie Akesuk, Parr Josephee, Aoudi Qinnayuaq, Cie Taqiasuk, Julieta Arias, and Moises Frank. Videography by Tobin Grimshaw, editing by Embassy of Imagination. See it at the front entrance of the AGO.
Photo by Pamela Jarrett
PROCESS:
This is one of the 200 exceptional projects funded through the Canada Council for the Arts’ New Chapter program. With this $35M investment, the Council supports the creation and sharing of the arts in communities across Canada.
Ce projet est l’un des 200 projets exceptionnels soutenus par le programme Nouveau chapitre du Conseil des arts du Canada. Avec cet investissement 35 M$, le Conseil des arts appuie la création et le partage des arts au cœur de nos vies et dans l’ensemble du Canada.
THANK YOU:
Adla Qinnayauq
Evie Kelly
Lindsay Aranoff
George Farmer, Nick Hooper, Violet Chum, Indigenous Visual Culture Program, OCADU Foundry Department, OCAD University
Steve Ferrara & Lisa Martin, Well and Good
David Hannan
Pamela Jarrett & Peter Pitseolak School
David Joanasie, MLA South Baffin, Nunavut
Sean Martindale
Mersky Family
Giles Spence Morrow, Archaeology Centre, U of T
Waukomaun Pawis & Connected North
Pinguartuk Family
Josie Taukie
The Hamlet of Cape Dorset
Ryan Taylor, Kesha Frank, Fair Trade Jewellery co
The families of the youth artists
Julieta Arias
Kenny Lam
Kier Medland
Arianna Behan
Annyen Lam
Pudy Tong
Flora Shum
Glenn Hatanaka
Deborah Hatanaka