The Winnipeg Art Gallery is pleased to announce Dr. Julie Nagam and Dr. Heather Igloliorte as co-chairs of the newly formed Idigenous Advisory Circle. The Circle will give voice to Indigenous people (Inuit, First Nations and M\u00e9tis), and provide leadership and counsel in the development and planning of related WAG exhibitions, education, community outreach, partnerships, and programming. The formation of the Circle is critical to guide the WAG through the transformation it is experiencing in the lead up to the opening of the new Inuit Art Centre.<\/p>\n
The Circle will be made up of representatives from the four regions of Inuit Nunangat: Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Nunavut, Nunavik, and Nunatsiavut. Urban Inuit and circumpolar Inuit communities, such as Alaska and Greenland, will also be included, along with First Nations and M\u00e9tis representatives from Manitoba and two national members working in the arts field.<\/p>\n
Each member will bring knowledge and experience from their specific communities to inspire, connect, and educate the public through enhanced exhibitions and programs. The Advisory will develop Gallery spaces and activities that acknowledge Indigenous contributions, and provide the WAG with welcoming and accessible programing for all people, North to South.<\/p>\n
Dr. Nagam is the Chair in the History of Indigenous Art in North America, a joint appointment at University of Winnipeg and Winnipeg Art Gallery, and is an Associate Professor in Art History at the University of Winnipeg. Dr. Igloliorte is the University Research Chair in Indigenous Art History and Community Engagement and Assistant Professor of Aboriginal Art History at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec.<\/p>\n
This year the WAG will start construction on the Inuit Art Centre, a new 40,000-square foot, four-storey building adjoining the Gallery\u2019s current facility. In partnership with Indigenous groups, the Centre will offer ongoing education in Indigenous history, culture, and art. Through interactive experiences and collaboration with the North, the Centre will build on the timely cultural renaissance that is recognizing Indigenous contemporary art on the national and international stage.<\/p>\n
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Quick Facts<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n About the co-chairs: Heather Igloliorte<\/strong> (Inuit, Nunatsiavut, Labrador) is an Assistant Professor of Aboriginal Art History at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, where she holds a Research Chair in Indigenous Art History and Community Engagement. Igloliorte has been an independent curator of Inuit and other Indigenous arts for twelve years; her curatorial, teaching, and research interests centre on circumpolar and Native North American art studies, performance, and media art, the global exhibition of Indigenous arts and culture, and issues of colonization, sovereignty, resistance, and resilience. Some of her recent curatorial projects include the nationally touring exhibition SakKij\u00e2juk: Art and Craft from Nunatsiavut <\/em>(2016);<\/em> the permanent exhibition Ilippunga: The Brousseau Inuit Art Collection<\/em> at the Mus\u00e9e National des Beaux-Arts du Qu\u00e9bec (2016); and Decolonize Me<\/em> (Ottawa Art Gallery, 2011-2015). Read her full bio here<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Quotes<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThe WAG is\u00a0striving to be at the forefront of a cultural resurgence as Canadian society increasingly recognizes the importance of Indigenous knowledge and its role in fostering a greater understanding and respect amongst all peoples. Drs. Julie Nagam and Heather Igloliorte are supporting the work of Indigenization at the Gallery, and along with the Advisory Circle, they will provide valuable counsel and direction as we work towards an expanded dialogue and healing through the power of art and artmaking. The development of the Inuit Art Centre will help greatly with this important work in Winnipeg and across the country.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2014Dr. Stephen Borys \u201cThe Winnipeg Art Gallery is undergoing a ground-breaking transformation and we are excited to lead the way for Winnipeg to be the centre of Indigenous Contemporary Arts in Canada and abroad. At the same time we need to continue to break down barriers and open up spaces for dialogue, reflection and engagement. The City is at a pivotal moment where Indigenous artists could radically transform public space, galleries and museums. The Inuit Art Centre and the WAG can support this shift and scholarship by creating new templates of unprecedented Indigenous methods, ideologies, and community involvement in museum practices.\u201d \u201cI am thrilled to participate in the formation and direction of the WAG\u2019s Indigenous Advisory Circle. I view the significant inclusion of Inuit leadership and participation from across Inuit Nunangat as a groundbreaking step forward in the creation of the Inuit Art Centre, which will represent Inuit art and artists from all eras, regions, and media. I look forward to working with the Inuit and other Indigenous advisors on envisioning a radical new way of thinking through Inuit art of the past, present and future, and engaging in meaningful collaborations with the Advisory Circle and WAG staff towards this exciting transformation.\u201d <\/p>\n Winnipeg Art Gallery<\/a> <\/p>\n Stay Connected<\/strong><\/p>\n Keep up-to-date by visiting wag.ca, and for the latest updates, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. #inuitartcentre<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Winnipeg Art Gallery is pleased to announce Dr. Julie Nagam and Dr. Heather Igloliorte as co-chairs of the newly formed Idigenous Advisory Circle. The…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42,"featured_media":9004111222030068,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n
\n<\/strong>Julie Nagam<\/strong> (M\u00e9tis, Syrian-German) is the Chair in the History of Indigenous Art in North America, a joint appointment at University of Winnipeg and Winnipeg Art Gallery. Originally from southern Manitoba, Nagam is a published scholar and curator with a strong background in innovative research and teaching. Her research, curatorial, and artistic practices are grounded in concepts of Native space, and she continues to explore different methodologies in cartography, art, and geography to bring forth distinctive epistemological views. Another focus of her work is to unpack the tensions between Indigenous and colonial histories within the politics of technologies in the context of digital and new media art. Read her full bio here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\nDirector & CEO, Winnipeg Art Gallery<\/p>\n
\n\u2014Dr. Julie Nagam
\nChair in the History of Indigenous Art in North America, University of Winnipeg\/Winnipeg Art Gallery<\/p>\n
\n\u2014Dr. Heather Igloliorte
\nResearch Chair in Indigenous Art History and Community Engagement, Concordia University
\nAssociated Links<\/p>\n
\nInuit Art Centre<\/a><\/p>\n