Dunlevy: MMFA doubles down on commitment to Inuit art with new exhibit

Article content

There is perhaps no better symbol of the rock ‘n’ roll attitude of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts’ new exhibition of Inuit art, Uummaqutik: Essence of Life, than the motorcycle that greets visitors upon entering the space.

Not just any motorcycle, but a blue BMW joined at the hip with a psychedelic mermaid made from caribou antler, metal, aluminum, wood and plastic. The work is titled Iqualuullamiluuq (First Mermaid) That Can Manoeuvre on the Land (Sidecar), created in 2016 by Inuk artist Mattiusi Iyaituk.

Article content

The MMFA’s Inuit art collection has come a long way since former director F. Cleveland Morgan first acquired a few sculptures from the Canadian Handicrafts Guild across the street in 1953 and insisted they be displayed alongside the museum’s other artworks.

“We’re very happy — and moved, to be honest — to inaugurate this new presentation of the collection of Inuit art,” said MMFA director Stéphane Aquin. The museum’s permanent collection now boasts nearly 900 Inuit artworks, including some acquired in the past year.

Aquin noted the importance of the museum having moved its Inuit art display from its previous location on the fourth floor of the neighbouring Bourgie Hall to the main floor of the Michal and Renata Hornstein Pavilion, built in 1912.

“Before, these galleries were dedicated to Greek or Roman art,” Aquin said, “because as a museum founded on the fundamentals of Greek and Roman culture, we thought these were our foundations. I think it’s more in keeping with our mission and understanding of what art is about and what people need in a museum that we have put Inuit art here, as a way to recognize the territory on which we’re located.”

Article content

A further sign of the MMFA’s commitment to equity and inclusion can be found in the hiring of Inuit artist and curator Asinnajaq as guest curator for the exhibition. The museum then hired Léuli Eshrāghi, who belongs to the Sāmoan clans Seumanutafa and Tautua, as its first curator of Indigenous practices. (Both Asinnajaq and Eshrāghi use gender-neutral pronouns.)

“I think all of these decisions change the outcomes,” Asinnajaq said. “I’m really happy we’ve done this exhibition in the way we have, and that I’ve been invited here to work with the museum.”

Asinnajaq was hired before Eshrāghi, and feels that the latter’s arrival was a game changer. “Everyone was already so nice to work with, but having the extra support of someone who can really advocate and understand where I’m coming from is incredible.”

Asinnajaq had the challenge of selecting the artworks for the exhibition from among the MMFA’s vast array of Inuit art.

“The museum has so many absolutely beautiful, emotional, powerful (Inuit) artworks in its collection,” they said. “It’s not shocking, but it’s impressive.”

Article content

The curation process was one of “listen(ing) to the works,” Asinnajaq explained, “and to the messages of the artists making the works.” What they heard was a collective observation about the nature of existence.

“The concept of the exhibition is thinking about our lives as being incredible moments of transformation and exchange and growth. The thing I was learning from the artworks is that life is fundamentally made up of trading of molecules and energy. I just felt like there was a call from the artworks to make a space to meditate on these facts of life.”

Eshrāghi points to the various stages depicted in the artworks — “family scenes, hunting scenes.” They pointed to Wall Hanging, a macramé poster dangling from a caribou antler, depicting the phonetic language of the Inuit by 80-year-old Inuk artist Arnaoyok Alookee, who was in attendance on Wednesday.

Alookee’s work hangs among others by artists in their 20s and 30s, “showing the vivacity of the creative practices of different generations,” Eshrāghi said.

Darcie Bernhardt is a 31-year-old Inuvialuk artist based in Halifax whose evocative painting Jijuu’s Patterns, from 2023, is a recent acquisition by the MMFA.

“It’s literally just my grandma showing me her slipper patterns and mukluk patterns,” Bernhardt said of the image, explaining that the work speaks to the transient nature of memory.

“It’s such an amazing exhibition to be part of,” she said. “It’s such an honour to have a moment for these artists and people, through their work, to be in the same space.”

AT A GLANCE

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts presents Uummaqutik: Essence of Life, opening Friday, Nov. 8. For tickets and more information, visit mbam.qc.ca.

tdunlevy@postmedia.com

x.com/TChaDunlevy

Article content

Article content