Qamanittuaq

Where the river Widens

To celebrate the creation of the new Canadian territory of Nunavut, the Kelowna Art Gallery is pleased to present an outstanding exhibition of drawings by Inuit artists from Qamanittuaq. Qamanittuaq is the new name for Baker Lake and means 'where the river widens'.

This exhibition is being circulating to selected galleries in Canada and the United States by the Macdonald Stewart Art Centre, Guelph, Ontario with generous sponsorship from Biount Canada ltd of Guelph (formerly Omark Canada Ltd.) a manufacturer in the timber harvesting industry owned by Biount Inc. whose international headquarters are in Montgomery, Alabama.

The Macdonald Stewart Art Centre is recognized internationally for its collection of contemporary Inuit drawings and for its leadership in exhibiting and promoting scholarship on these works. This exceptional exhibition includes 77 visually compelling works by 19 major Inuit artists from Baker Lake. The highly individualistic drawings - by turns dramatic, playful and powerful - evoke the vitality of Inuit culture and art, and demonstrate the rich contemporary drawing tradition in Baker Lake. The subject matter of the work reflects the unusually rich heritage of shamanistic and traditional spirit imagery from which they draw their inspiration. They include Inuit legends, personal histories, and scenes from contemporary daily life. The exhibition spans 35 years of drawing practice in Baker Lake, and is co-curated by Marion Jackson, Judith Nasby and William Noah.

The Kelowna Art Gallery has created a Reading Gallery adjacent to the exhibition to provide more facts about the remarkable artists of Baker Lake. Visitors will also have the opportunity to learn about: the creation of this exhibition; lnuit artand artists in other communities in Nunavut and the history and creation of Nunavut.

Admission to the gallery is free (although donations are welcome) and everyone is invited to visit this significant exhibition and the Reading Gallery to learn moreabout the newest territory in northern Canada. Please join us at 7:00 pm on Saturday, June 1 9 to celebrate the opening and enjoy a curator's talking-tour by Judith Nasby, to gain further insight into the exhibition, the unique perspectives of the artists of Baker Lake, and this collaborative project of the artists and 3 curators. Judith Nasby is the Director of the Macdonald Stewart Art Centre.

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