Nunavut in New England

From November 24- January 30, the prestigious Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) in Salem, Massachusetts hosts an exhibit entitled, Our Land: Contemporary Art from the Arctic, the first major museum exhibition of contemporary art from Nunavut. The exhibition includes more than 50 artworks-from sculpture, prints, and textile art to photography, video, and sound installations-all created in the last half-century, a time of burgeoning artistic and cultural awareness and pride among Canada's Inuit. The exhibit includes installations featuring Inuit throat singing, storytelling, and contemporary music, as well as a presentation of Nunavut, a video installation by Zacharias Kunuk. Peter Irniq, artist and Commissioner of Nunavut, created an Inuksuk, which is also on display as part of the exhibit. Among the body of sculpture, drawing, printmaking, textile arts, and work in other media, that are featured in the exhibit are works by Germaine Arnaktauyok, Kenojuak Ashevak, Pitseolak Ashoona, Pudlo Pudlat, Jesse Oonark, Zacharias Kunuk, and Lucie Idlout. Our Land will do much to raise the profile of Nunavut and Canada throughout New England by introducing museum visitors to the art and unique worldview of Canada's contemporary Inuit. In addition to the exhibition, catalogue, and DVD, the museum will host an active calendar of public programming featuring Inuit art and culture, including films, lectures, artist demonstrations, online exhibitions, and dance and musical performances. The exhibit received financial support from the Government of Canada, the Government of Nunavut's Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth, the Constance Killam Trust, and the Elizabeth Killam Rodgers Trust.