Canada Council spends $48,000 on Inuit art

MIRIAM HILL

A visit to Nunavut this year by Victoria Henry, director of the Canada Council Art Bank, has paid off for both the Canada Council and the territory’s artists.

As part of its 30th anniversary celebration, the art bank decided to enhance its collection and announced last fall that it would make a special purchase of Aboriginal art. More than 400 artists from across the country sent in photos of works to be judged.

Seventy-one works by 61 First Nations, Métis and Inuit artists — with a total value of about $150,000 — were selected.

Thirty-nine of the 71 pieces came from Nunavut artists. The Council spent about $33,000 on work by artists currently living in Nunavut, and an additional $15,000 on pieces by Nunavut-born artists who live in other parts of Canada.

Twenty-eight artists from Clyde River, Kimmirut, Cape Dorset, Iqaluit, Igloolik, Rankin Inlet, Baker Lake, Pangnirtung and Qikiqtarjuaq are represented in the purchases.

The art bank was created in 1972 to support the efforts of Canadian visual artists and provide public-sector institutions with the opportunity to rent artwork for their offices. Of the 18,000-piece collection, about 6,400 pieces are out on rental to more than 200 government and corporate clients across the country.

Victoria Henry, accompanied by her colleague Louise Profeit-LeBlanc, came to Nunavut in January to encourage Aboriginal artists to submit work to the art bank, and answer questions about the council’s programs and grants.

About 15 people sat in on a presentation at the Parish Hall in Iqaluit to learn about the Crown Corporation, and many subsequently submitted work to the jury.

However, one artist bypassed the jury and sold a carving directly to Henry. Lypa Pitsiulak met Henry in an Iqaluit restaurant after travelling 15 hours from Pangnirtung by snowmobile. He sold her a piece titled Husband and Wife with Shaman Animal Helpers.

“It means the Canada Council notices the North now,” said Beth Beattie, coordinator of the Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association, which promotes the growth and appreciation of Nunavut artists and the production of their work.

Beattie had yet to hear of the decision when contacted by Nunatsiaq News, but was thrilled at the news.

“It’s really good. It’s a great opportunity. Now that the artists know that the art bank exists it’s more likely that they’ll connect with the Canada Council on other things like grants.”

She said the Canada Council has sent applications to Nunavut, but Henry’s visit was the first time the council has made a real push at connecting with the North.

“Before, with the applications, it was hard to get people to fill them out and it still is,” she admitted.

But this latest purchase shows artists what the art bank can do, Beattie said, and may compel artists to fill out and submit applications for grants and submit works for purchase consideration to the art bank in the future.

The 71 works from across the country will be unveiled publicly on March 29 during an open house at the art bank’s Ottawa office. The event will include tours, talks by artists, storytelling, drummers, dancing and throat singing.