ᐃᓪᓕᕆᔭᕗᑦ Illirijavut

Curators: Qumaq Mangiuk Iyaituk and Kathryn Delaney
Vernissage: Thursday, May 31st, at 6 pm
Exhibition: June 1 to 23, 2018
Workshop: Friday, June 1st from 10am to 4pm, $90 (Registration required)
Curators’ Talk: Friday, June 1st, at 7 pm

“The stories the Elders share with us are personal, heartwarming and precious.”
– Qumaq Mangiuk Iyaituk (January 2015)

The McClure Gallery is honoured to host Illirijavut, a tenth anniversary retrospective exhibition featuring original storybooks from twenty artists created during the Inuit Storytelling and Storybook-Making Workshops. Project leader, Qumaq Mangiuk Iyaituk from Ivujivik, Nunavik, and project coordinator Kathryn Delaney, from Montreal, have been collaborating to develop and facilitate these cultural workshops since they met in 2009 during the Annual Nunavik Art Workshops in Inukjuak. In 2015, Qumaq worked with a non-Inuit population for the first time in the context of these workshops. This workshop took place at the Visual Arts Centre in Montreal and inspired artists Qumaq and Kathryn with Mattiusi Iyaituk to obtain a 2016 {Re}conciliation grant from the Canada Council for the Arts for the project Illirijavut: Inuit Storytelling and Storybook-making workshops, which offered workshops to Nunavik communities and urban Inuit and non-Inuit populations across Canada.

During these workshops, we gather together as artists and invite an Elder to tell us their “true life stories.” Inuit words are spoken that have been forgotten. Participants transform Inuit oral histories into original graphic storybooks narrated with Inuit syllabic texts on accordion-style paper. Workshops introduce techniques in ink drawing, and watercolour painting with instruction in Inuktitut first. Participants imagine themselves in the story. This sensory exercise encourages artists to connect to the elements, ideas, and emotions in the story. This creative process contributes to their knowledge of the whole story. These workshops and the resulting storybooks explore aspects of Inuit culture, challenge and break down stereotypes, and educate the Canadian public, while strengthening Inuit language and cultural identity.

Participating artists:
Paula Ainalik, Arnaujaq Alaku, Jessica Arngak, Elisa Audlaluk, Kathryn Delaney, Mattiusi Iyaituk, Maggie Jaaka Qisiiq, Sarah Lisa Kasudluak, Louie Qiluqi Makimak, Passa Mangiuk, Qumaq Mangiuk Iyaituk, Nooma Oweetaluktuk, Mosusie Padlayat Sr., Caroline Palliser, Mary Paningajak Alaku, Louisa Pauyungie, Manu Qaunnaaluk, Qiallak Qumaaluk, Louie Qungisiruk

Heartfelt thanks to:
Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, Conseil des arts de Montréal, Conseil des arts du Canada, Kativik, Air Inuit, Institu culturel Avataq, {Re}conciliation grant and its partners The J.W. McConnell Family Fondation and the Circle on philanthropy and aboriginal peoples in Canada, Aumaaaggiivik (secréteriat des arts du Nunavut) and the contribution of the Nunavik artists and non-Inuit artists involved in the workshops.

ᐃᓪᓕᕆᔭᕗᑦ Illirijavut
ᑕᑯᔭᑦᓴᓂᒃ ᑐᑭᑖᕆᔩᒃ: ᖁᒪᖅ ᒪᖏᐅᖅ ᐃᔦᑦᑐᖅ, ᐃᕗᔨᕕᒃ (ᓄᓇᕕᒃ)
Kathryn Delaney (ᑳᔅᕆᓐ ᑎᓓᓂ), ᒧᓐᑐᔨᐊ

ᐃᓄᒻᒪᕇᑦ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖏᑦ ᐅᕙᑦᑎᓂᒃ ᐊᑦᑕᒥᒐᐅᑎᒍᑎᒋᓲᖏᑦ ᓇᒻᒥᓂᕐᒧᐊᖓᕗᑦ, ᐆᒻᒪᑎᒥᒃ ᓂᕈᒥᑦᓰᓲᒍᑦᓱᑎᒃ ᐃᓪᓕᓇᕐᑑᓱᑎᓗ.
— ᖁᒪᖅ ᒪᖏᐅᖅ ᐃᔦᑦᑐᖅ (ᓇᓕᕐᙯᑐᖅ 2015)

ᐃᓪᓕᕆᔭᕗᑦ ᖁᓪᓕᓂ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᕐᓂ ᓇᓪᓕᐅᓂᕐᓯᐅᕈᑕᐅᕗᖅ ᐊᐅᓚᔨᓇᕐᑐᖑᐊᑦ ᑕᑯᑦᓴᐅᑎᑕᐅᕙᑦᑎᓗᒋᑦ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐅᕐᑕᐅᒋᐊᓐᖓᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐊᕙᑎᓄᑦ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐅᕐᑎᓄᑦ ᐃᓄᑦᑎᑑᕐᑐᓂᒃ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐅᒋᐅᕐᓴᓂᖏᓐᓂ ᕿᒥᕐᕈᐊᓂᓗ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐅᒋᐅᕐᓴᓂᖏᓐᓂ. ᖁᒪᖅ ᒪᖏᐅᖅ ᐃᔦᑦᑐᖅ, ᐃᕗᔨᕕᒃ ᓄᓇᕕᒻᒥᐅᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕐᑕᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᐊᑕᐅᑦᓯᑰᕐᑎᓯᔨ Kathryn Delaney, ᒧᓐᑐᔨᐊᒥᐅᖅ, ᐱᓇᓱᐊᖃᑎᒌᖃᑦᑕᓯᒪᓕᕐᑑᒃ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᑎᑦᓯᒐᓱᐊᕐᓱᑎᒃ ᑲᔪᓯᑎᑦᓯᒐᓱᐊᕐᓱᑎᓗ ᑖᒃᑯᓂᖓ ᐃᓗᕐᖁᓯᕐᒨᓕᖓᑦᓱᑎᒃ ᐱᒋᐅᕐᓴᓂᐅᕙᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᑌᒪᓐᖓᓂᑦ ᑲᑎᓚᐅᔪᑦᓱᑎᒃ 2009-ᒥ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᑕᒫᕐᓯᐅᑎᒥᒃ ᓄᓇᕕᒻᒥᐅᑦ ᕿᒥᕐᕈᐊᓕᐅᒋᐅᕐᓴᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᓄᑦᔪᐊᒥ. 2015-ᒥ, ᖁᒪᖅ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᖃᑎᖃᒋᐅᑦᓯᐊᓚᐅᔪᕗᖅ ᐃᓄᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᖏᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᑌᒣᑦᑐᑎᒍᑦ ᕿᒥᕐᕈᐊᓕᐅᒋᐅᕐᓴᓂᒃᑯᑦ. ᕿᒥᕐᕈᐊᓕᐅᒋᐅᕐᓴᓚᐅᔪᔪᑦ ᒧᓐᑐᔨᐊᒥ Visual Arts Center-ᒥ ᑐᓴᓚᕿᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᑕᑯᒥᓇᕐᑐᓕᐅᕐᑏᑦ ᖁᒪᖅ, ᑳᔅᕆᓐ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᒪᑦᑎᐅᓯ ᐃᔦᑦᑐᖅ ᐱᒍᒪᐅᒻᒥᓱᑎᒃ 2016-ᒨᓕᖓᑦᓱᓂ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓂᒃ ᓂᖏᕐᑎᓯᐅᑎᓂᒃ ᑲᓇᑕᐅᑉ ᑲᕙᒪᖓᓐᓂᑦ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᓚᕿᑦᓱᑎᒃ ᐆᒥᖓ: ᐃᓪᓕᕆᔭᕗᑦ: ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐅᒋᐅᕐᓴᓂᖏᑦ ᕿᒥᕐᕈᐊᓕᐅᒋᐅᕐᓴᓂᖏᓪᓗ ᑕᐅᑦᑐᓕᓂᒃ, ᑲᓇᑕᓕᒫᒥ ᓄᓇᕕᒻᒥ ᓄᓇᓕᒻᒥᐅᑦ, ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᑦ ᓄᓇᖓᓂᒥᐅᑦ ᐃᓄᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᖏᑦᑐᐃᓗ ᑌᒫᒃ ᐱᒋᐅᕐᓴᑎᑕᐅᕙᑦᑎᓗᒋᑦ.

ᕿᒥᕐᕈᐊᓕᐅᒋᐅᕐᓴᓂᖏᓐᓂ, ᑲᑎᒃᑫᓲᖑᔪᒍᑦ ᑕᑯᒥᓇᕐᑐᓕᐅᕐᑎᓂᒃ/ᑐᓴᕐᓂᑐᓕᐅᕐᑎᓂᒃ ᐃᓄᒻᒪᕆᒻᒥᓄ ᙯᕐᖁᔨᑦᓱᑕ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖁᑦᓱᒋᑦ “ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥᓂ ᐊᑑᑎᓪᓗᑐᕐᑕᕕᓂᕐᒥᓂᒃ”. ᐅᖃᐅᓰᑦ ᐃᓄᑦᑎᑑᕐᑐᑦ ᐳᐃᒍᕐᑕᐅᒪᓕᕐᑐᑦ ᐅᖄᔭᐅᖃᑦᑕᓱᑎᒃ. ᐃᓚᐅᔪᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᑕᕕᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᓯᑦᔩᓗᑐᑦᓯᐊᓲᑦ ᕿᒥᕐᕈᐊᓕᐊᕆᓯᑦᓱᒋᑦ ᑕᐅᑦᑐᖃᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᐃᓄᑦᑎᑑᕐᓱᑎᒃ ᓂᑦᔭᐅᑎᐅᔮᕐᑐᒥ ᓯᑯᑦᓴᔭᒥ. ᕿᒥᕐᕈᐊᓕᐅᒋᐅᕐᓴᑎᑦᓯᓂᐅᕙᑦᑐᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒋᐅᕐᑎᓯᕙᑦᑐᑦ ᐊᓪᓚᐅᑎᒧᑦ ᐃᒪᓕᒻᒧᑦ ᐊᓪᓚᖑᐊᕐᓂᒥ, ᐃᒪᕐᒥᒃ ᐅᐊᕈᑦᓯᓲᒧᑦ ᒥᖑᐊᓐᖑᐊᓂᕐᒥ ᐃᓕᓴᕐᑕᐅᖄᓚᐅᑲᑦᑎᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᓄᑦᑎᑐᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ, ᒋᐊᖃᑐᐊᕋᒥᓪᓗ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᐅᒻᒥᔪᓄᑦ. ᐃᓚᐅᔪᑦ ᐃᒻᒥᓂᒃ ᐃᓱᒪᓐᖑᐊᓲᑦ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᒦᒋᐊᕐᒥᓂᒃ. ᑌᒣᓘᕐᓱᑎᒃ ᐱᒋᐅᕐᓴᑐᑦ ᑲᔪᖏᕐᓴᑕᐅᓚᕿᓲᑦ ᐱᑐᓚᕿᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐅᖄᔭᐅᔪᓄᑦ, ᐃᓱᒪᑖᕆᔭᐅᔪᓄᑦ ᐃᑉᐱᓂᐊᕐᓂᓄᓗ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᑉ ᐃᓗᐊᓂ. ᑌᒣᓘᕐᓱᑎᒃ ᓴᓇᑐᔫᑦᓱᑎᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᕐᓯᔭᐅᓲᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓯᑦᓱᑎᒃ ᐃᓘᓐᓇᓯᐊᖓᓂᒃ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᒥᒃ. ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᕿᒥᕐᕈᐊᓕᐅᒋᐅᕐᓴᓂᐅᓲᑦ ᐊᓪᓚᖑᐊᕐᓯᒪᔪᕐᑕᖃᕐᓱᑎᓗ ᕿᒥᕐᕈᐊᖑᓕᕐᑐᑦ ᕿᒥᕐᕈᑎᑦᓯᔪᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐱᐅᓯᑐᖃᖓᓂᒃ, ᐅᓇᒻᒥᓇᓕᕐᑐᓂᒃ ᓵᓐᖓᓯᒋᐊᖃᓲᒍᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᑕᐅᓯᐅᓈᕐᑎᓯᓚᖀᑦᓱᑎᓗ ᐊᑕᐅᓯᑐᐃᓐᓇᒥᒃ ᐃᓱᒪᖃᓲᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓕᓭᒍᑕᐅᑦᓱᑎᒃ ᑲᓇᑕᒥᐅᓕᒫᓂᒃ, ᑕᕝᕘᓇᑦᓭᓇᕐᓗ ᓲᖑᓰᓚᕿᑦᓱᑎᒃ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖓᓂᒃ ᐱᐅᓯᑐᖃᕐᑎᒍᓪᓗ ᑭᓇᐅᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ.