ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒋᓐᓂᖅ - Piliriqatigiingniq Mural Project
June 29 - July 21, 2015
76 Church St. Toronto, ON
Artists: Lachaolasie (Latch) Akesuk, Parr Josephee (formerly Etidloie), Aoudi Qinnayuaq, Cie Taqiasuk, Julieta Arias, Moises Frank
Chaperone/ Mentor: Joseph Pinguartuk
Facilitators: Embassy of Imagination (Alexa Hatanaka and Patrick Thompson)
Partners: Mural Routes and Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association
Piliriqatigiingniq is an unprecedented public artwork project: a collaborative, outdoor wall painting by Cape Dorset, Nunavut youth artists and Toronto students and graduates of Oasis Skateboard Factory (TDSB). After two years of Embassy of Imagination in Cape Dorset, following the expressed desires of the youth to travel down south, this mural project was forged to share the next generation of Inuit art during the Pan Am and Para Pan Am Games in downtown Toronto.
Piliriqatigiingniq, is a pillar of Inuit traditional knowledge, meaning to work together towards a common goal. Parr, 16 year old artist from Cape Dorset, often heard stories of his grandpa carrying a broken down snowmobile, which inspired his contribution to the mural. Parr's figure at the base of the mural not only super-humanly carries a snowmobile, but also a pile of arctic animals stacked some 50' high. Latch (14, Cape Dorset) drew the funky caribou, and bird atop the walrus head. Cie (18, Cape Dorset) drew the bulging walrus, and Audi (15, Cape Dorset) filled the walrus with hands, bird heads, fish, dog heads, and human faces. Julieta (19, Toronto) and Moises (20, Toronto) added vibrant patterning and colours that brought the image to life.
We would like to acknowledge the funding support of Canada Council for the Arts, Government of Canada Department of Canadian Heritage, and StreetARToronto. Many thanks to Kinngait Studios and the West Baffin Eskimo Co-op. BIG Thank you to Well and Good, Joseph Pinguartuq, Ooloosie Ashevak, Tobin Grimshaw, Leah Mersky, Pam Jarrett, Councillor Wong-Tam, Councillor Pam McConnell, Tom Davidson, Kate Hoffman, Hostelling International Toronto, St. Lawrence Market BIA, Oasis Skateboard Factory, Lauren Hortie, and William Huffman!
Videography by Tobin Grimshaw, editing by Embassy of Imagination.
This video is currently on view at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), as part of PA System and Embassy of Imagination's installation Towards Something New and Beautiful + Future Snowmachines in Kinngait. See it at the front entrance of the AGO.
Thanks to Ian Buck of Notch Video for the drone video!
Photo by Tobin Grimshaw, The final mural complete!
Photo by Tobin Grimshaw
Beginning the painting, braving the heat
With Pat Feheley in front of Feheley Fine Arts, after a great tour of Cape Dorset art
Pat Feheley showing us original graphic works by Parr, great grandfather of Parr and Latch
Parr with a carving by his father, celebrated carver Isacci Etidloie
The crew at CBC! Parr gets ready to speak about the project in Inuktitut for CBC News North. Photo by Tobin Grimshaw
Latch, Feheley Fine Arts gallery
Cie, Parr, Audi and Latch (left to right), on City TV News!
Latch and Patrick behind Peter Mansbridge on The National
Moises on CBC The National
https://www.vice.com/en_ca/read/these-nunavuts-teenage-artists-finished-a-massive-toronto-mural-182
http://findingtruenorth.ca/behind-the-scenes-photos-of-the-piliriqatigiingniq-mural-in-toronto/
http://www.rcinet.ca/eye-on-the-arctic/2015/07/03/arctic-mural-underway-in-toronto-canada/
http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/visualarts/2015/07/17/nunavut-teens-unveil-massive-church-st-mural.html
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/nunavut-and-toronto-teens-set-to-unveil-18-metre-high-mural-today-1.3153778
http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/65674inuit_youth_conquer_and_brighten_urban_wall/
http://www.vice.com/en_ca/read/nunavut-teens-dream-mural-project-in-toronto-saved-at-the-11th-hour
http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/mural-dreams-resurrected-for-nunavut-and-toronto-teens-1.3129682
http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/teens-nunavut-inspired-mural-rescued-at-the-last-minute-1.2443861
http://www.citynews.ca/2015/06/25/nunavut-youths-search-toronto-for-outdoor-mural-canvas/
http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/wall-wanted-mural-dreams-crumble-for-nunavut-and-toronto-teens-1.3122625
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/06/24/toronto-artists-in-search-of-wall-for-nunavut-teens-to-paint.html
http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/65674nunavut-toronto_mural_project_secures_new_canvas/
http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/65674nunavut_youth_helping_to_create_huge_downtown_toronto_mural/
https://ignitechannel.com/stories/embassy-imagination-next-generation-inuit-art/
This project is funded [in part] by the Government of Canada // Ce projet est financé [en partie] par le gouvernement du Canada