Introduction

Works by Elisapee Ishulutaq, Jamasie Mike, Jessica Akpalialuk, Geela Sowdluapik and Jolly Atagoyuk

Located on the western side of southern Baffin Island, the settlement of Pangnirtung has been a vital centre for the production of modern Inuit art since the late 1960s. Known around the world for their elegant limited edition prints and expertly crafted woven tapestries, the artists of this former trading station have made a distinctive and important contribution to the contemporary art and culture of Canada.

The Marion Scott Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of new works on paper from Pangnirtung. Opening July 17 and continuing through August 28, Oil and Paper: New Works from the Studios of Pangnirtung, Nunavut comprises over 20 medium and large-scale images. Produced during a series of innovative artist workshops that took place in fall and winter 2009, these striking works feature the use of oil sticks, a medium that has only recently started to come into use in the Arctic. The resulting images differ in many ways from earlier Pangnirtung art.

The exhibition features bold, colourful compositions by both new and established artists. Included are several works by Elisapee Ishulutaq, a respected Inuit elder and one of Pangnirtung’s best known artists. Taking advantage of the medium’s capacity to cover large surfaces, Ishulutaq has created several images that are monumental in scale, drawing imaginatively upon her memories of traditional Inuit life for inspiration and subject matter. The exhibition also includes works by a younger generation of artists, whose imagery and concerns reveal a more modern sensibility shaped by current realities.

Presented as part of Drawn 2010.