Napachie Pootoogook’s True North


Kinngait artist Napachie Pootoogook’s retrospective exhibition, True North, is under way!

Last weekend, Feheley Fine Arts held a talk with curator Leslie Boyd, who discussed the impact of Pootoogook’s work on contemporary artists. She described Pootoogook’s role as a storyteller, and how she documented her personal experiences and memories in her artwork.

Originally from the Qikiqtaaluk region of Nunavut, Pootoogook began her practice of drawing and printmaking in the 1950s. Her mother, Pitseolak Ashoona, also an artist, encouraged Pootoogook to pursue art, as did many of her siblings.

The subject of matter of Pootoogook’s oeuvre ranges from Inuit spirituality to traditional depictions of daily life. In particular, Pootoogook’s later work focuses on the experience of women. Through her drawings and captions, we gain a unique insight into her community and its broader social history.

Napachie Pootoogook’s True North will be on view at Feheley Fine Arts until May 24, 2014.