Works inspired by Inuit and Viking cultures on display at Qaumajuq in Winnipeg

The work of Inuit artist Abraham Anghik Ruben will be featured in the Winnipeg Art Gallery’s (WAG) – Qaumajuq space until May 31, 2026.

The exhibition marks the first ever solo show in WAG’s Qilak gallery, the main gallery within Qaumajuq, which is the largest exhibition space dedicated to Inuit art in the world.

With more than 50 years and 100 pieces of Ruben’s artwork showcased, visitors will have the opportunity to travel through the artist’s lifelong journey of reconnecting with his roots and view his interpretations of some of the traditional stories he grew up with.

The master sculptor was born in 1951 in a camp south of Paulatuk, N.W.T. and east of the Mackenzie River Delta. It was a time when Inuit culture was changing.

“This exhibition is an opportunity for me to honour the teachings of my parents and other Elders who took time to show me a path in this life,” he said in a promotional release about the show. “The sculptures and paintings are a testament to the powerful myths, stories, and legends of the two principle Arctic people, the Inuit and the Norse. They are the people who bring life into my works.”

In 2016 Ruben received the Order of Canada, in recognition of his immense contributions to the art world and for preserving his Inuvialuit culture. Many of his pieces have been highlighted in prominent, public, corporate and private collections.

Guest curator, Heather Campbell, said she was excited to bring together the decades of Ruben’s art into a space dedicated to Inuit art. She said it was important to Ruben to have an Inuit curator for the show and so she was contacted to fill the position.

At the time she was approached to curate the show, she was working at the Inuit Art Foundation, but she jumped at the opportunity to curate for Ruben.

“Ruben is probably one of the best Inuit artists in Canada and one of the best artists in Canada regardless of their background. He’s extremely talented, he’s a wonderful carver and he’s very popular in commercial galleries,” Campbell said.

Bringing together the vast number of items for the exhibit was ideal for the 8,000 sq-ft space of the gallery, she explained.

“Abraham also does larger monumental works, so we knew that the size of his pieces would be a good fit for that space,” she said. There are five new pieces made specifically for the exhibit, including three stone sculptures and a 10-foot cedar one.

“The two main themes are Inuit culture and Viking culture. He’s very interested in a period of time where those two would have overlapped mainly in the Greenland area,” Campbell said. “So, he’s got sort of mythologies from both cultures that are similar to one or another, especially shamanism and the sea goddess.”

Ruben creates the visual depictions of the visions he has of the interactions between the two cultures, such as in trade and hunting in the Arctic.

“Also included in the show is the migration, how the two cultures migrated away from their usual hunting grounds and overlapped with one another,” Campbell said. 

“I think Abraham is so special because he is able to blend those images of Inuit culture, but he does it in a very modern way, and he’s able to blend the abstract, as well as realistic imagery, and he’s able to somehow combine it with Viking art and do these very abstract paintings,” Campbell said.

The exhibit will display Ruben’s first works of his career, then continue to the common elements of Inuit and Viking cultures. 

“We have the masks, which are based on his great grandfathers and Shamans. Then we have shape shifters, which are the Shamans within the culture. We have sacred creatures, which are the spirit helpers for the Shamans, and then we go into life givers, which are the feminine strength pieces that are mainly the sea goddesses and Viking goddesses,” Campbell said.

It will also include his newer work titled ‘A New Quest.’ This portion of the exhibit will highlight his newer works based on climate change.

Throughout the show, descriptions accompany each piece of work. They are written by Ruben telling his own story about the background of the art. Additionally, about 20 pieces have QR codes that visitors can scan and listen to Ruben tell the story of the piece in his own voice.

Campbell said there are also videos playing within the space, showcasing drummers and other cultural highlights and films from Ruben’s hometown. 

For more information about the show and artist visit https://www.wag.ca/exhibitions/ruben/

Local Journalism Initiative Reporters are supported by a financial contribution made by the Government of Canada.