Journal of Curator’s Travels to Cape Dorset
August 2, 2018
A Photo Journal from Rhéanne Chartrand
Curator of Indigenous Art, McMaster Museum of Art:
At the invitation of the Hamlet of Cape Dorset Council, I travelled to Cape Dorset, Nunavut, from June 11-22, to mentor the newly hired Manager of the Kenojuak Cultural Centre (KCC), Louisa Parr. I provided Louisa with foundational knowledge on museum management and curatorship, and helped her develop tangible skills to tackle issues that may arise, whilst always keeping the needs and interests of her community front and centre. It was a welcome opportunity for me to impart some of the best practices I’ve picked up over my years of working the Indigenous arts community.
It also allowed me to flex curatorial muscles I hadn’t flexed in a while, such as climbing up on a ladder to adjust track lighting or using a measuring tape to carefully hang a print (I have the good fortune at MMA of having help when I am mounting exhibitions, so I often do not do such hands-on tasks anymore…thank you, Jennifer!). Together, Louisa and I mounted a mini-exhibition at KCC, which Louisa presented to a group of foreign ambassadors that visited the community on June 22nd. The works of art in the exhibition were drawn from the West Baffin Eskimo Cooperative’s permanent collection.
Aside from the time I spent with Louisa, I also got to spend time in the KCC Print Shop with some of the artists themselves including Shuvinai Ashoona, Ningeolukuk Teevee, and master printer Niveaksie Quvianaqtuliaq.
Overall, my time in Cape Dorset was deeply enriching and meaningful on many levels, especially in light of the fact that I will be curating two exhibitions of Inuit Art for McMaster Museum of Art – one in 2019 and another in 2021. It is great to understand, to a greater extent, the place from which comes so much amazing art. Truly, Cape Dorset is the “capital of Inuit art.”
Lastly, I look forward to bearing witness to Louisa’s growth into her role; I know she will do an excellent job and make her community very proud.
Nakurmiik to Louisa, Will, Jason, Shuvinai, John, Bill, Bob, Mayor Timoon Toonoo, and everyone else who made my time in Cape Dorset so wonderful.
– Rhéanne Chartrand, Curator of Indigenous Art, McMaster Museum of Art
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