AOG Art Trail
The AOG Art Gallery has a private collection of contemporary art from award-winning local and International artists. Long-time collector and owner Bill Gibbons has turned part of his eclectic collection, which includes paintings, sculpture, and photography, into a public display that stretches along a 40 km trail. I was commissioned to paint a 19-foot kayak for a year-round display on the trail. The kayak took several months to complete and exhibited my integration of Inuit myth with contemporary life.
The inspiration for this piece draws from my understanding of Inuit myth and is guided by the belief that culture is a constant.
The top of the kayak is dedicated to the space where the ancestors and spirit guides live, including the elements. Ancestors reside in the spirit realm, in the sky, guiding Inuit and teaching them to maintain their way of life amid change. Ancestors are the spirits, the animals, the trees, the rocks, the deceased loved ones, etc. At one end of the kayak, I paint the man’s and woman’s masks with my unique interpretation of Inuit tattoos. These are the Grandmothers and Grandfathers, the human ancestors. As you continue the journey, I include a horn that I call the ‘Horn of Prosperity.’ It symbolizes the blessings that Inuit ancestors pass on to the Inuit. I juxtapose this with the inclusion of an abstract red amauti (Inuit parka), serving as my interpretation of the red dress. While Indigenous peoples have received many medicines and gifts from their culture, they have also suffered and continue to suffer from the effects of colonization and displacement, but a profound respect and connection to ancestors and teachings from the land heal them as they move through this pain.
Moving through the section, you begin to see the animal and land spirits. Among them are the raven in the drum, the polar bear, the butterfly, the fish, the sun, and the moon. A loon family beside the hide home signifies the importance of family and community.
One side of the kayak illustrates traditional life on the land showcasing activities such as dog sledding, hunting, and playing Inuit games. I also included masks of animals transforming into shamans. The shaman is a preserver of traditions.
The other side of the kayak honors the significance of birds in Inuit storytelling and tradition. Birds are a source of creation, knowledge, and magic. I imbued this piece with her unique interpretation of Inuit myth and traditions, however, the flowers included amongst the birds are deeply personal and not particularly related to myth. In Nunavut, there are so few flowers that grow, the Purple Saxifrage being one of them. For this kayak, I reimagine it as a beautiful blue flower reflective of my love for water.