Born in an igloo on October 3, 1927 east of Kinngait (Cape Dorset), Kenojuak Ashevak charmed Canadians and the rest of the world with her unique vision and keen sense of design. Kenojuak began to draw in 1957 at the encouragement of James Houston and became one of the best-known Inuit artists of her time. Like most Inuit graphic artists, she relied on the considerable skills of print shop staff to transfer her drawings into print. At times, changes made to the original drawing compositions are minimal, but during the early 1970s, extensive changes were made, particularly in the use of colour and markings. Focusing on the collaborative relationship between artist and printmaker, this exhibition contained 22 of Kenojuak’s works (11 drawings and 11 prints), including a magnificent large drawing commissioned by private collectors in 2004. Archival photographs of Kenojuak and brief biographies and photos of some of the key printmakers who transformed Kenojuak’s designs into print form were also on display.
Curated by Shawna White