The Arctic is often thought of in wintery terms, with snow, ice and frigid winds holding dominion. Some folks may be surprised to hear that summers in the North bring warmth, colour and vigorous life and that the length of summer days rivals winter nights. As the days grow shorter, our staff reflect on artwork depicting their favourite aspects of summer across Inuit Nunaat, from eating tasty pitsi to the changing of fur coats. Immerse yourselves in arctic summer sights with these five works by circumpolar Indigenous artists.
Janet Kigusiuq Untitled (Drying fish) (c. 1992) Coloured pencil 57.2 x 76.8 cm
COURTESY ROBERT KARDOSH GALLERY © THE ARTIST
Untitled (Drying fish) (1992)
Janet Kigusiuq’s Untitled (Drying fish) is busy with colour and alive with lines. At first glance her vivid triangles of fluorescent hues look like rainbow-coloured fish, but the colours actually depict the dazzling sky—one of my favourite things about experiencing summer on the tundra. Watching the process of making pitsi has always entranced me; from the smooth slicing of the char’s bright flesh to the geometric patterns of bite-sized drying meat, it all makes my brain click in a satisfying way.
Rendering bold tones using coloured pencils is impressive, as the medium usually heeds a more subtle, soft look. Kigusiuq ensnares the senses in this work and transports you to a hill somewhere on the land in Nunavut, waiting to collect the coveted summer pitsi.
NAPATSI FOLGER
Tauttunnguaqti
Aisa Amittu Egg Collecting (c. 1999) Steatite 41.9 x 35.6 x 20.3 cm
COURTESY SPIRIT WRESTLER © THE ARTIST
Egg Collecting (c. 1999)
The tension in Egg Collecting by Aisa Amittu (1951–2021) is breathtaking—a beautiful layering of form, subject and meaning. The precarious balance of the person kneeling atop this long leaning antler piece nested with eggs is mirrored by the tilt of the sculpture itself, which is held aloft only by the counterweighted strut at the bottom, cheekily sculpted into the shape of a bird’s foot.
The string stretched taut between the two egg pickers reflects their perilous task, made dangerous both by the risk of falling and the potential for attack from incensed birds defending their nests. Amittu constructed a microcosm of adventure in the activity of a summer’s day in Nunavik—no small feat, even for an artist who was known for infusing narrative in his works.
JESSICA MACDONALD
Associate Editor and Editorial Supervisor
Dawn Winters Untitled (Jetty) (2021) Digital photograph
© THE ARTIST
Untitled (Jetty) (2021)
Gazing at Dawn Winters's Untitled (Jetty), I can almost hear the water gently lapping at the harbour in Hopedale, Nunatsiavut, NL. Sunrises like this are spirited; they champion in the day and all the potential it holds. With clouds as a canvas for sun rays and shadows to chase each other, the horizon is ablaze with orange. But the water casts a calmer reflection, stretching ombré hues of orange, yellow, green and blue.
This photograph is a study of perspective; the distant islands demarcate the sky from the sea while, closer, the sharp silhouettes of rocks appear unmoored, floating on the surface. Tension eases from me while viewing this scene, as I’ve unwittingly taken longer, deeper breaths, caught up in the tangibility of this quiet morning.
TIFFANY RADDI
Assistant Editor
Beatrice Alguina Goose Birds of Summer (1996) Printmaker: Susie Malgokak Stencil 63 x 49.5 cm
COURTESY DAVIC ART GALLERY © THE ARTIST
Birds of Summer (1996)
Birds of Summer by Inuvialuk artist Beatrice Alguina Goose, daughter of Agnes Nanogak Goose and Wallace Goose, encapsulates the vibrant and dazzling light of summer in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region. In the background, a vermillion sun bursts above the horizon, likely never having fully set that night. This is a natural phenomenon known as the midnight sun, which occurs during the summer north of the Arctic Circle and in the winter south of the Antarctic Circle.
Meanwhile, in the foreground, three little birds perch on leafy branches, the curved lines of their eyes and upturned beaks reminiscent of smiling faces, suggesting their contentment. Basking in the endless sunlight, their feathers glow a bright shade of orange—similar to a ripe aqpik picked at the end of summer.
MICHELLE SONES
Fact Checker
Erin Ggaadimits Ivalu Gingrich Summer and Winter Ukalliq from Dgheyaytnu (2022) (installation view) Basswood, acrylic and beads Dimensions variable © THE ARTIST
Summer and Winter Ukalliq from Dgheyaytnu (2022)
Summer and Winter Ukalliq from Dgheyaytnu by Koyukon Dené and Iñupiaq interdisciplinary artist Erin Ggaadimits Ivalu Gingrich comes alive with silent eloquence. Two hare heads, one of dark and the other of light fur, gaze at each other, as though across the chasm of seasons. Minimalist in design, the ukalliq are delicately linked by beaded chains threading through their hollowed eyes, embodying an eternal dance of interconnectedness.
Poised in graceful equilibrium, their cleverness echoes the tundra's pulse, their fur a living testament to the animation of summer and somnolence of winter. These hares embody the transformations shaping the Alaskan wilderness, symbolizing playful adaptability and resilience. Art and ecology intertwine, expressing an arctic world teeming with life, its seasonal rhythms resonating with generational wisdom and vitality.
CHARISSA VON HARRINGA
Arctic Arts Summit Platform Managing Editor