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The Newly opened Iqaluit International Airport

DID YOU KNOW…the WAG oversaw and installed artwork at the newly opened Iqaluit International Airport? The grand opening ribbon was cut September 13 exhibiting over 80 works from the WAG and Government of Nunavut (GN) art collections.

Andrew Kear, WAG Chief Curator; Radovan Radulovic, Head of Museum Services, and WAG prep staff Serge Saurette traveled with artwork and installed pieces alongside Krista Zawadski, Government of Nunavut Curator of Inuit Art. Hear their thoughts on being involved in the airport installation.

It was wonderful to contribute in a hands-on way to the installation of Inuit art at the Iqaluit Airport. There is something about being in the Arctic, handling – carefully! – the objects created in the Arctic, making decisions along with fellow cultural workers who themselves live and work in the north, that made me appreciate the artistry and creative language of the sculpture and wall hangings more deeply than I previously had.-Andrew Kear, WAG Chief Curator

Aart installation in newly built airport in Iqaluit was a special experience. Seeing the landscape, meeting the people, and hearing the stories that are the inspiration for the Inuit art gave me a special kind of understanding of the art. Bringing the carvings from Winnipeg to where they were created broadens the WAG’s connection with the north. The installation at the Iqaluit Airport makes me proud to be part of the project that promotes an amazing and unique art expression. -Radovan Radulovic, WAG Head of Museum Services

Participating in this installation was an amazing experience. I was honoured to be a part of the team who came together to collaborate on this important project. Thank you to the people of Iqaluit, and all the artists and organizers who worked tirelessly to bring this exhibition to life. -Serge Saurette, WAG prep-staff

Installing art in the Iqaluit airport was exciting because it meant the fine Inuit art from the GN and WAG collections were going to be appreciated by many people. Knowing that people who are personally connected to the artists, including the artists themselves, were going to see and enjoy the art made the installation meaningful for me. – Krista Zawadski, Government of Nunavut Curator of Inuit Art

It was thrilling to take part in the installation of the exhibit and to see some of the GN’s world class fine art collection being displayed within the Territory. This venue will give us the chance to raise the profile of Nunavut artists and to showcase parts of our collection. -Alex Stubbing, Director of Heritage, Government of Nunavut

Interesting facts about the new airport exhibition include

  • 58 Inuit sculptures from the GN and WAG collections
  • 13 GN wall-hangings that will be rotated every six months for preservation purposes
  • five large-scale murals by Charles Johnston that reproduce prints and drawings from the WAG Inuit art collection
  • five large-scale wall-hanging reproductions from original GN works.

Billed as ‘big and beautiful,’ the 9,000-square-foot-terminal offers significant exhibition space for artwork. When Nunavut asked the WAG to plan and oversee the art installation at the new terminal, the Gallery worked with the territory’s departments of Economic Development and Transportation, and Culture and Heritage, to bring artwork from both the GN and WAG collections to Iqaluit.

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