Airplane (Past, Present, Future) (1995)

Airplane (Past, Present, Future) tells a remarkable story, rich in detail and personal experience. The piece is made up of a grey stone igloo base, a multitoned airplane above and a flying green shaman perched atop it all. The igloo is a symbol of the artist’s past, living on the land with his family near Paulatuk, Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR), NT, as a child. The airplane represents transitional periods for the artist, being taken to attend residential school, but also leaving the Artic to live in the South and travelling the world making artwork. The final component–the shaman–flies above with arms outstretched, representing the future. A symbol of cultural resiliency, he moves forward, carrying with him numerous histories, which propel him as he navigates what the future has to offer.