Introducing Qaumajuq

Inuit culture is celebrated as the City of Winnipeg welcomes the world to Qaumajuq at the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG). A traditional celebration was held virtually on March 25-26, 2021, and the doors to the largest public collection of contemporary Inuit art in the world opened the following day. The first of its kind, Qaumajuq is an Inuit cultural and learning hub in the heart of Winnipeg, with nearly 14,000 of its own pieces of artwork and another 7,200 on loan from the Government of Nunavut. It was created as a pathway to healing and inspiration as a response to Manitoba’s colonial past. It boasts beautiful flowing, flexible spaces, seven art studios (two outdoors), as well as a smart class for virtual classes to connect students and lifelong learners everywhere.

“It Is Bright. It Is Lit.”

Quamajuq, the name that Indigenous language keepers bestowed on the space, means “It is bright. It is lit.” Award-winning architect Michael Maltzan intentionally designed Quamajuq with fluid, scalloped white granite to allow light and shadow to play over the space, including floor-to-ceiling windows and 22 skylights to allow the sunlight to fill the space and mimic the vastness and light of the Arctic. The floor-to-ceiling glass front gives the illusion that the undulating granite is floating like northern lights.

Quamajuq Breaks Barriers

Quamajuq is not a traditional art gallery; it is an Inuit-led creation connecting past and present, north and south, art and people. INUA, the inaugural show, is a display of cherished pieces with real connections to the curators; it brings art back to families where it is meant to be and presents them to the world so others may learn and understand.

Quamajuq brings the north, in its authenticity, to the south to share its wisdom so we can all walk together. On each level, the WAG is accessible to Quamajuq so no part is cut off. This allows a free flow of ideas, stories and healing to flow throughout the entire 185,000 sq ft complex.

The massive glass fronts leave the gallery space open to the public walking by, breaking perceived barriers between the general public and art. This theme is repeated at the heart of Quamajuq with a central visible glassed vault so patrons can see art pieces that are not yet on display and get a behind-the-scenes view of the inner workings of the museum. This glass vault is the world’s only visible vault of its kind and stretches the full three floors of the museum. Everything is visible and bathed in light in the true spirit of reconciliation.

INUA

INUA is the inaugural exhibition of the Qaumajuq, curated by an all-Inuit team, representing all four regions of Inuit Nunangat (homeland). The word INUA means Spirit or life force in many dialects across the Arctic, and is also an acronym for Inuit Nunangat Ungammuaktut Atautikkut (Inuit Moving Forward Together). The 8,000 sq ft main gallery called Qilak (sky from the Inuktitut) is the largest individual gallery space devoted to Inuit art and culture, bringing together the work of over 90 Inuit artists. It is a powerful display of the lives, hearts and strength of Inuit artists and the Inuit people.

Qaumajuq will continue to offer its inspiration to the south and will make its space accessible on a grand scale by offering free admission for Indigenous Peoples and allowing free access to all public to the main floor featuring the visible vault. Qaumajuq heralds a new dawn for the Winnipeg Art Gallery and for everyone willing to listen, learn and walk new pathways.

Photos by Lindsay Reid and supplied by the Winnipeg Art Gallery.