Two New Shows Feature Artwork from the Permanent Collection at WAG-Qaumajuq

Curators find inspiration in the WAG vaults

Winnipeg, Manitoba, July 16, 2025: The Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG)-Qaumajuq is excited to announce the opening of a pair of new exhibitions highlighting fan-favourites and lesser-seen works from the WAG permanent collection. Curated by Grace Braniff and Nawang Tsomo Kinkar, TD Curatorial Fellow, both exhibitions launch at a free opening celebration on Thursday, July 17 at 7pm, and run through 2026.

Braniff’s Crying Over Spilt Tea is inspired by two common English sayings: “spill the tea,” a viral phrase born from Black drag culture that conveys the subversive sharing of sensitive/secret information or “T” for truths, while “don’t cry over spilt milk” means there’s no use getting upset about something that has already happened and cannot be undone.

Kinkar’s a matter of time explores the concept of spiral time, the embodied understanding of time as non-linear, cyclical, and experienced through the continuous unfolding and overlapping of events. Positioning time as relational and as a measure of change, the exhibition looks toward non-Eurocentric worldviews to regenerate ideas of memory, resurgence, and transformation.

Everyone is invited to join us for the free opening celebration on Thursday, July 17 from 7-9pm. There will be welcoming remarks, a performance by Kymera, and cash bar.

Quick Facts:

• Two new exhibitions feature artwork from the WAG-Qaumajuq permanent collection in interesting and unique ways.
• Grace Braniff’s Crying Over Spilt Tea features work by Dana Claxton, Natalka Husar, Annie Pootoogook, Joi T. Arcand, Shōji Hamada, Tim Whiten, and more.
• Crying Over Spilt Tea reveals how tea and “T” are intimate and familiar, universal and specific. They are mundane—an everyday occurrence, yet their history, personal significance, and cultural embeddedness are critical.
• One of the feature artworks, Annie Pootoogook’s Tea Drinkers (2001-2002), has recently been installed on a huge billboard at the corner of Sherbrook St. and Portage Ave. in Winnipeg thanks to a partnership with Sussex Realty.
• Nawang Tsomo Kinkar’s a matter of time features work by Anna Wong, Maureen Gruben, Colleen Cutschall, Tschang-yeul Kim, Ekene Emeke Maduka, and more.
• a matter of time proposes the radical potential for thinking againstcolonial time frames, and through spiral time—unpredictable, transformative, and fleeting.
• Kinkar’s TD Curatorial Fellowship is generously made possible by TD Bank Group, through the TD Ready Commitment.
• An opening celebration will take place on July 17 with doors opening at 7pm. Entry is FREE and will include a performance by Kymera, welcoming remarks, and a cash bar. Both exhibitions will remain on view through 2026.

Quotes:

“These two new exhibitions are very exciting for us; we’re always pleased to showcase the community’s collection in fresh ways and Grace and Nawang have done a wonderful job. The WAG permanent collection has nearly 30,000 artworks, so it offers endless inspiration and it’s great to see these unique curatorial perspectives in the Gallery. We are grateful to Margaret Hucal for her support of these exhibitions, and TD Bank for their support of Nawang’s Curatorial Fellowship.”

— Bill Elliott, Deputy Director & CFO, WAG-Qaumajuq

“Working with a permanent collection and being able to bring artworks from the vaults to the public is an immense privilege. There are so many experiences, stories, and perspectives held in this building. Crying Over Spilt Tea was an opportunity to consider how disparate narratives converge on a topic as specific and universal as T(ruths) and tea, and through it, I have learned so much.”

—  Grace Braniff, Assistant Curator of Art, Advancement Officer, WAG-Qaumajuq

“At the core of a matter of time remains the slow and steady rhythm of how one might move through a space. With the thematic concept of spiral time, the exhibition strings together many ideas—political, personal, spiritual—and encourages viewers, and myself, to think through the WAG’s permanent collection as an opportunity for experimentation and creativity. To this end, I am grateful for the viewer’s time and reflection.”

— Nawang Tsomo Kinkar, TD Curatorial Fellow

“On behalf of everyone at TD, I’d like to congratulate Nawang and Grace on the launch of these captivating, thought-provoking exhibitions. I know Manitobans – and art enthusiasts from around the world – will be thrilled to see so many hidden gems from WAG-Qaumajuq’s extensive collection. Through the TD Ready Commitment, our corporate citizenship platform, we’re supporting programs focused on helping emerging artists and professionals facing barriers in the music, arts and culture sector.”

— Nicole Beaton, Vice President and Region Head for Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Northern Ontario, TD Bank Group

Support

Curatorial fellowship made possible by TD Bank Group through the TD Ready Commitment. Exhibitions supported by Margaret Hucal. Public opening entertainment by Sounds of Manitoba, sponsored by Leon A. Brown in honour of Ruth Anne Shnier.

Associated Links

a matter of time
Crying Over Spilt Tea
Opening Celebration

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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
The Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG)-Qaumajuq is a cultural advocate using art as a catalyst for change. The Gallery features an impressive collection of nearly 30,000 artworks spanning centuries, cultures, and media, including the largest public collection of contemporary Inuit art in the world. Each piece has its own story to tell. Sharing these stories with the world is at the core of WAG-Qaumajuq. This is an engaging, accessible space where visitors can experience art and learning in new ways. Principles of equity, care, trust, and responsibility guide the institution towards meaningful impact and transformation. To learn more, visit wag.ca.

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