Ningiukulu Teevee: Stories from Kinngait Opens at Canada House in London, UK

New exhibition celebrates award-winning graphic artist in United Kingdom

Winnipeg, Manitoba, February 6, 2024: The Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG)-Qaumajuq is excited to announce the opening of a new exhibition featuring the work of contemporary artist Ningiukulu Teevee at Canada House in London, UK on February 8, 2024. Organized by WAG-Qaumajuq in partnership with the High Commission of Canada in the UK, Ningiukulu Teevee: Stories from Kinngait includes 26 artworks from the celebrated Inuk artist, all from Presenting Sponsor Cholakis Dental Group’s “Inuit Art in Practice” collection.

Based in Kinngait (Cape Dorset), NU, the artist is best known for her bright, playful depictions and retellings of Inuit stories. The exhibition, curated by Dr. Darlene Coward Wight, shares Teevee’s favourite subject matter, including arctic animals, abstract natural forms, and traditional tales passed down through generations.

The Cholakis Dental Group’s “Inuit Art in Practice” collection is the largest corporate collection of Teevee’s work in the world and is directed by Dr. Ernest Cholakis who was Chair of the WAG Board of Governors for nine years, spanning the conception, construction, and opening of Qaumajuq, the Inuit art centre at the WAG. The Inuit Art in Practice collection serves as a model for the integration of art within healthcare settings.

In 2023, Teevee was awarded the Inuit Art Foundation’s prestigious biennial Kenojuak Ashevak Memorial Award (KAMA). The $20,000 award grants the winner a solo exhibition at WAG-Qaumajuq and exhibition catalogue, thanks to the support of RBC Emerging Artists.

Ningiukulu Teevee: Stories from Kinngait at Canada House coincides with the 40th anniversary of Cholakis Dental Group in 2024. A second, expanded presentation of the exhibition is planned to open in Winnipeg at WAG-Qaumajuq concurrently with Teevee’s KAMA exhibition in fall 2025.

Quick Facts:

• Ningiukulu Teevee: Stories from Kinngait opens at Canada House in London, UK on February 7, 2024 and runs until June 1, 2024. Canada House is located at Trafalgar Square, London SW1Y 5BJ. Artist Ningiukulu Teevee will be in attendance for the opening.
• A second, expanded presentation of Stories from Kinngait is planned to open at WAG-Qaumajuq in Winnipeg in fall 2025.
• Through her art, Teevee shares her unique perspective on historical and contemporary Inuit culture, employing a deft ability to translate traditional stories into dynamic compositions.
• Curated by WAG-Qaumajuq Curator of Inuit Art, Dr. Darlene Coward Wight, Stories from Kinngait spans Teevee’s illustrious career, featuring 26 works from the Inuit Art in Practice collection of the exhibition’s Presenting Sponsor Cholakis Dental Group, based in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
• The Inuit Art in Practice collection serves as a model for the integration of art within healthcare settings. The collection not only aims to raise awareness and appreciation for the art, people, and culture of Canada’s North, but also reflects the firm’s values for promoting well being.
• One of Canada’s leading graphic artists, Teevee’s work is included in many public and private collections around the world, including 47 artworks in the WAG-Qaumajuq collection, 18 of which are on loan from the Government of Nunavut, and has been included in more than 40 group exhibitions and ten solo shows.
• In 2023, Teevee was the recipient of the Inuit Art Foundation’s biennial Kenojuak Ashevak Memorial Award, and will receive $20,000, a solo exhibition at WAG-Qaumajuq opening in fall 2025, an exhibition catalogue, artist residency at the Gallery, and WAG-Qaumajuq will acquire one of her artworks into the permanent collection.

Quotes:

“The High Commission of Canada in the UK is privileged to welcome Inuit artist Ningiukulu Teevee’s first UK solo exhibition, Stories from Kinngait, to our Canada Gallery in the heart of London. Teevee’s skill as a visual storyteller keeps the Inuit tales and legends of Canada’s far North alive, and her re-imagining of her community’s traditions and daily routines offer a unique, joyful window into life in Nunavut. I hope many will come to experience this collection of vivacious imagery depicting arctic animals, abstract natural forms, and stories passed down through generations – a profound way for us all to learn about the Inuit culture and way of life.”

— The Honourable Ralph Goodale, High Commissioner for Canada in the United Kingdom

“We are honoured to present Ningiukulu Teevee: Stories from Kinngait at Canada House in London, UK. This is a wonderful opportunity to champion one of the great contemporary Inuit artists from Canada internationally. I hope audiences across the pond will enjoy Teevee’s art and learn more about life up north. This project speaks to the vision of Qaumajuq, the Inuit art centre at WAG-Qaumajuq, to celebrate the art and stories of Inuit with the world. We thank Presenting Sponsor Cholakis Dental Group —in particular Dr. Ernest Cholakis—for making this important exhibition possible, and the Government of Canada and Dahdaleh Foundation for their support.”

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

“My work comes from stories that I have heard, that are unwritten, only spoken, and kept by few. The first storyteller that caught my attention was Mialia Jaw. She came to a classroom to tell her stories. Listening to her fed my imagination. It has led me to win the Inuit Art Foundation Kenojuak Ashevak Memorial Award and a trip to places such as London, England—an exciting opportunity to learn, and possibly to teach those who want to learn.”

— Ningiukulu Teevee, Artist

“Inuit art, in particular, serves as a powerful tool for cultural diplomacy. Showcasing Inuit art in exhibitions and museums around the world can provide a window into the Inuit culture and way of life, promoting understanding and appreciation for traditions and values. Cholakis Dental Group is proud to see our Inuit Art in Practice collection on view at Canada House in London and to highlight the incredibly talented artist Ningiukulu Teevee.”

— Dr. Ernest Cholakis, Cholakis Dental Group, Presenting Sponsor

“Ningiukulu Teevee is a passionate chronicler of stories from the past and the present, which sometimes meet in her work in surprising ways. Her visual vocabulary combines a bold graphic style with narrative underpinnings of Inuit folklore and legends. This results in artworks that preserve a treasured history while forming a significant contribution to Canadian contemporary art.”

— Dr. Darlene Coward Wight, Curator of Inuit Art, WAG-Qaumajuq

Support

Stories from Kinngait is presented by the Cholakis Dental Group and is supported by the High Commission of Canada in the United Kingdom and Dahdaleh Foundation.

Associated Links

Ningiukulu Teevee: Stories from Kinngait
Ningiukulu Teevee Wins 2023 Kenojuak Ashevak Memorial Award

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For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact:

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

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 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.

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