Floe Edge facts for kids

Floe Edge: Contemporary Art and Collaborations from Nunavut was an exciting art show that displayed modern Inuit art and fashion. It was put together by a group of artists called Axe Néo-7 from Quebec, with Kathleen Nicholls from the Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association as the curator. A curator is someone who chooses and organizes the art for an exhibition.

The show featured amazing works from 18 different artists. They used many types of art, like videos, drawings, and fashion designs. The organizers wanted to show new kinds of Inuit art, not just the traditional soapstone carvings. Floe Edge first opened in Gatineau, Quebec, in early 2016. It then traveled to Canada House in London later that year. In 2017, it was shown at the Urban Shaman Gallery in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

What is a Floe Edge?

The art show was named after a special natural event called the "floe edge." This happens in the Arctic spring when the frozen Arctic Ocean starts to melt near the land. It creates a changing landscape of water and ice floes (large pieces of floating ice).

This name was chosen as a way to describe the lives and art of the artists. Many of them are not just artists; they have other jobs too. These other jobs often inspire their artwork, just like the floe edge is always changing.

Featured Artists and Their Works

The exhibition showcased a variety of talented Inuit artists and their unique creations.

Sounds and Sights

Tanya Tagaq, a famous Inuk throat singer, created a special sound experience for the show. She performed a sung soundscape (a mix of sounds) while a silent movie from 1922, Nanook of the North, played.

Visual artist Ningiukulu Teevee shared her detailed drawings. Landscape photographer Niore Iqalukjuak showed small pictures of the beautiful Arctic.

Gauge Video Project

A group of video artists worked together on a big video display called Gauge. They used time-lapse photography, which takes many pictures over time to show slow changes quickly. This video showed different shapes moving on a wall.

Unique Sculptures

Sculptor Mona Netser presented a large doll called Hunter with Kativak. This doll showed a hunter with wild hair. It was set up so the hunter's spear pointed at a drawing of a polar bear eating a walrus. One art reviewer said this created a "dynamic arrangement of hunter and hunted," meaning it showed a strong connection between them.

Modern Inuit Fashion

The show also featured modern sealskin fashion, which was a big highlight for many visitors.

Jewellery Designs

Jewellery designer Mathew Nuqingaq displayed a pair of snow goggles made from shiny sterling silver. Another jeweller, Lavinia Van Heuvelen, showed pieces made from ivory.

Sealskin Clothing and Shoes

Nala Peter created a lingerie set from sealskin. Nicole Camphaug designed high heels covered in sealskin. Reviewers loved these fashion items. One person called them "totally impractical, drenched in kitsch and thoroughly delightful." This means they were fun and unique, like the bold fashion seen in big cities like Paris or Milan.

The fashion pieces also made a statement about anti-sealing activists. One reviewer saw them as a way for Inuit artists to show their pride and challenge common ideas about Arctic fashion.