New exhibition from KAMA award-winning artist-in-residence Tarralik Duffy to open at WAG-Qaumajuq

Tarralik Duffy: Gasoline Rainbows explores contemporary Inuit culture and experience through pop art lens

Winnipeg, Manitoba, September 12, 2023: The Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG)-Qaumajuq and the Inuit Art  Foundation are pleased to announce the opening of Tarralik Duffy: Gasoline Rainbows, a new exhibition exploring the work of 2021 Kenojuak Ashevak Memorial Award (KAMA) winner and WAG-Qaumajuq artist-in-residence Tarralik Duffy.

Gasoline Rainbows is a meditation on the beauty of the ordinary, and reflects the ways our cultural signifiers often come from the objects and materials of our day-to-day experiences. The exhibition marks Duffy’s deep-dive into pop art – taking everyday objects of nostalgia from her home in Nunavut – like jerry cans and Coleman stoves – and transforming them through her own colourful lens. As part of the KAMA award, one of the works in Gasoline Rainbows will be acquired by WAG-Qaumajuq for the Gallery’s permanent collection.

From July to August 2023, Duffy was the artist-in-residence at WAG-Qaumajuq, using the time to expand her artistic practice, work with WAG-Qaumajuq curators and programmers, and create new artwork. Over the summer, Duffy has also delivered artmaking events and programs to the public. As an instructor, she mentored young artists through the Indigenous Art Camp at WAG-Qaumajuq.

Duffy will announce the 2023 recipient of the Inuit Art Foundation’s Kenojuak Ashevak Memorial Award during a special celebration of both KAMA and Gasoline Rainbows on September 22. The artists shortlisted for the award currently have work on display in a special group exhibition at WAG-Qaumajuq, Anaanatta Unikkaangit (Our Mother’s Stories).

Join us for the opening celebration of Gasoline Rainbows and the exciting announcement of the 2023 KAMA recipient on September 22, 2023. The ceremony will include opening remarks and performances by Nikki Komaksiutisak, as well as passed appetizers and a cash bar. Enjoy the festivities and explore the exhibitions with FREE admission. Doors open at 6:30pm.

Quick Facts: 

• Tarralik Duffy is an artist, jeweller and writer from Salliq (Coral Harbour), NU currently based in Saskatoon, SK. Working primarily in jewellery design, she also uses textiles and other mediums to produce clothing and accessories for her label Ugly Fish. Her work has been exhibited across Canada, including shows at WAG-Qaumajuq in Winnipeg, MB and the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto, ON. Her work is currently available at the National Gallery of Canada Boutique in Ottawa, ON. In 2021, Duffy won the Kenojuak Ashevak Memorial Award.
• The Kenojuak Ashevak Memorial Award is a biennial prize organized by the Inuit Art Foundation, which celebrates and supports Inuit artists by facilitating opportunities for artistic development and career growth.The award recognizes a longlist of 10 artists who each receive $2,500, a shortlist of five artists who each receive $5,000, and a prize winner who receives $20,000. The winning artist receives a solo exhibition at WAG-Qaumajuq, an accompanying exhibition publication, and WAG-Qaumajuq will acquire an artwork from the winning artist for its permanent collection. The prize also includes an artist-in-residency program, hosted at WAG-Qaumajuq.
• Join us for the opening celebration and announcement of the 2023 KAMA recipient on September 22, 2023. The ceremony will include opening remarks and performances by Nikki Komaksiutisak, as well as passed appetizers and a cash bar. Enjoy the festivities and explore the exhibition with FREE admission starting at 6:30pm.
• Anaanatta Unikkaangit (Our Mother’s Stories), the KAMA Shortlist Exhibition, is open to the public until Winter 2024
• Tarralik Duffy: Gasoline Rainbows is open to the public until March 2024.

Quotes:  

“It’s been a pleasure to partner with the Inuit Art Foundation and RBC Emerging Artists to empower Inuit artists through the Kenojuak Ashevak Memorial Award – artists like Tarralik Duffy. The first of many Inuit artists-in-residence at WAG-Qaumajuq to come, Tarralik’s mindset and attentive observation of the world and its movements has inspired us. Her art in Gasoline Rainbows embodies the playful North, grounded in daily cultural experience, transformed in colour and materiality, each iteration a unique vision of the everyday.”

— Dr. Stephen Borys, Director & CEO, WAG-Qaumajuq 

“Working on Gasoline Rainbows with co-curator Riva Symko to bring together the bright, dynamic, and mesmerizing force of Tarralik Duffy’s artistry has been such a rewarding experience. The artwork in Gasoline Rainbows captures the creative range and cultural influence that made Tarralik the winner of the 2021 Kenojuak Ashevak Memorial Award. I could not be more grateful to have helped bring to life this inaugural Kenojuak Ashevak Memorial Award Winner Exhibition.”

— Marie-Anne Redhead, Assistant Curator of Indigenous & Contemporary Art, WAG-Qaumajuq

“Congratulations to Tarralik Duffy on her solo exhibition Gasoline Rainbows! I’m so thrilled that her 2021 Kenojuak Ashevak Memorial Award win has provided this opportunity for her to create new, exciting work and for all of us to be able to see it. I am especially excited to see the new work she has created for the show at her residency at WAG-Qaumajuq this summer. Thank you to RBC Emerging Artists and everyone who has helped fund the award for supporting this incredible opportunity.”  

— Dr. Heather Igloliorte, President, Inuit Art Foundation

“With admiration, RBC is delighted to celebrate Tarralik Duffy’s journey since being awarded the 2021 Kenojuak Ashevak Memorial Award. We look forward to welcoming the community to enjoy Gasoline Rainbows and are pleased that one of the works will be added to WAG-Qaumajuq’s permanent collection. And it is with great appreciation that we thank Tarralik for her investment in advancing knowledge with the public and mentoring young artists, paving the way for new audiences to experience and appreciate art.”  

— Kim Ulmer, RBC Regional President – Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nunavut, and Western Ontario

Support

WAG-Qaumajuq and the IAF thank RBC Emerging Artists for their generous support of this exhibition.

Associated Links

Tarralik Duffy: Gasoline Rainbows
Anaanatta Unikkaangit (Our Mother’s Stories)
Inuit Art Foundation
Kenojuak Ashevak Memorial Award

-30-  

For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact:  

Katryna Barske
Public Relations Officer
Winnipeg Art Gallery
204.789.1295
kbarske@wag.ca

Alysa Procida
Executive Director
Inuit Art Foundation
647.498.7717 x 101
aprocida@inuitartfoundation.org

About Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG)-Qaumajuq
WAG-Qaumajuq is a cultural advocate using art to connect, inspire, and inform. Playing a dynamic role in the community, we are a place for learning, dialogue, and enjoyment through art. Opened in March 2021, Qaumajuq connects to the WAG on all levels, celebrating the largest public collection of contemporary Inuit art in the world. The new WAG-Qaumajuq cultural campus is now one of the largest art museums in Canada. To learn more visit wag.ca. 

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram #atwag

About Inuit Art Foundation
Established in 1987, the Inuit Art Foundation provides support to Canada’s Inuit arts communities and is the sole national body mandated to promote Inuit artists and art within Canada and internationally. The IAF is deeply invested in the rich history and tradition of Canada’s Inuit artistic expressions while actively contributing to the growth and development of these unique and diverse contemporary art practices. The IAF undertakes advocacy on behalf of Inuit artists and realizes a number of strategies aimed at enhancing the appreciation and interpretation of Inuit art. The Inuit Art Foundation is supported by the private sector along with contributions from Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada and other public agencies. A volunteer, Inuit artist majority Board of Directors oversees the IAF.

Back to Media