SA国际影视传媒淚nuit artists have always been observational. TheySA国际影视传媒檝e always documented the land, and itSA国际影视传媒檚 not necessarily because they want to talk about climate change SA国际影视传媒� they document it because itSA国际影视传媒檚 what they do. TheySA国际影视传媒檙e communicating to the audience what is going on in their environment.

SA国际影视传媒淏ut what weSA国际影视传媒檙e finding 65 years later is we can look through our archives of drawings and prints and pick key moments where things were happening scientifically as observed by the artist. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 kind of amazing.SA国际影视传媒�

That comes from William Huffman, marketing manager and recently appointed interim general manger at the West Baffin Cooperative, who is frequently on the move around the globe bringing Inuit art to new cultures, setting up exhibits, networking and making connections that promote Inuit art and way of life to the world.

Beyond just reaching artists, people in other fields are using the work Huffman is bringing to them as a touchpoint for their conversations, connecting concepts and different Indigenous peoples in an increasingly global village.

Speaking from Scotland last month, Huffman was fresh off a trip showcasing Kinngait and West Baffin Cooperative art in the Republic of Korea, Malaysia and Vietnam as part of the Team Canada trade mission.

It was part of Kinngait StudioSA国际影视传媒檚 65th anniversary celebrations.

SA国际影视传媒淲hen we talk about Indigenous populations, we also tend to forget that in places like the [Republic of] Korea SA国际影视传媒� Koreans are the Indigenous peoples,SA国际影视传媒� says Huffman.

The exhibit in Gwangju at the LeeKangHa Art Museum, titled SA国际影视传媒楢rctic Myths, Resistance to ExtinctionSA国际影视传媒� running from March 19 to May 19, is West BaffinSA国际影视传媒檚 second project at the venue. The exhibition features documents that the Korea-Canada Arctic Research Project team encountered during a November 2023 visit to Kinngait.

SA国际影视传媒淭he exhibition in Gwangju is as much a celebration of art making in both Korea and Kinngait as it is a record of the relationships that were forged when the delegation visited us,SA国际影视传媒� commented Joemee Takpaaungai, associate manager of arts at Kinngait Studios. SA国际影视传媒楾here are some older prints in the show, new works by the Korean artists who were here in the studio, spectacular drone footage of our local landscape, interviews with Inuit artists and documentation of an amazing moment when a Korean dancer had an improvisational performance in our gallery space with two local throat singers. ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 so much behind these SA国际影视传媒榙ocumentsSA国际影视传媒�.

SA国际影视传媒楾he Korean-Arctic project is about a growing conversation between these two places,SA国际影视传媒� Takpaaungai continued. SA国际影视传媒淚n 2023, I helped to select the 93 works of art that populated the Canadian Pavilion at Gwangju Biennale. I never imagined it would be such a success that West Baffin Cooperative would be asked to do it again this year. It was more than a simple exhibition, after people saw the show they wanted to know more about Inuit art, Inuit people and this mysterious place, the Arctic, where we live.

SA国际影视传媒淎fter lots of discussion, we decided it was important to host some Koreans in Kinngait, and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 what happened in December last year. All the things that happened during the visit, all the knowledge that we shared together, that will be the basis of the 2024 Canadian pavilion. And this current exhibition at LeeKangHa Art Museum is a teaser for the Koreans about what this yearSA国际影视传媒檚 project is going to be about.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淭his initiative has grown into something much more than anticipated, by truly bringing together the Inuit artists of Kinngait with their counterparts in Gwangju, Korea,SA国际影视传媒� says LeeKangHa Art Museum director Sun Lee. SA国际影视传媒淭his shared experience proves that two different communities, from opposite sides of the planet, can become one unique international family.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淪uddenly now,SA国际影视传媒� said Huffman, SA国际影视传媒渨eSA国际影视传媒檙e starting to share this kind of Inuit traditional knowledgeSA国际影视传媒� [These] documents [are] now part of temporary discussion.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒楾he IglooSA国际影视传媒�, said Takpaaungai, referring to a special instillation featured in the exhibition, SA国际影视传媒渋s made out of traditional Korean paper. We make them from snow but our Korean friends can make them out of paper. The artist, Seola Kim, spent time here, worked in the studio drawing and became more familiar with the stonecut printmaking process. ISA国际影视传媒檓 very happy to see that she was inspired by Inuit art and culture and that our Igloos are now finding their way to Korea.

SA国际影视传媒淲hen you see the gravitas of this work, how sophisticated this work actually is SA国际影视传媒� and the history of the organization is so compelling as one of the first Indigenous-owned, Inuit-owned social enterprises in the country SA国际影视传媒� youSA国际影视传媒檝e got all the toolkit to motivate people.SA国际影视传媒�

Harmonizing relationships

In addition to the exhibit in Gwangju, West Baffin Cooperative joined other Canadian business leaders participating in a delegation to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. While exploring future possibilities for the artists of Kinngait, West Baffin was also able to conduct market research while taking part in business briefings, plenary presentations, networking opportunities and events with the stakeholders from every nation.

SA国际影视传媒淭he vision of the West Baffin Cooperative SA国际影视传媒� I have such a close relationship with my board and with people like [president] Pauloosie [Kowmageak],SA国际影视传媒� said Huffman. SA国际影视传媒淚 say to them, SA国际影视传媒業 have a crazy ideaSA国际影视传媒�,SA国际影视传媒漌eSA国际影视传媒檝e been invited to Kuala Lumpur and Ho Chi Minh City. What do you think?SA国际影视传媒� And theySA国际影视传媒檒l say, SA国际影视传媒楧o you think thereSA国际影视传媒檚 an opportunity there?SA国际影视传媒� and ISA国际影视传媒檒l say, SA国际影视传媒業 think I can make it work.SA国际影视传媒� And then theySA国际影视传媒檙e like, SA国际影视传媒楪o, and send us some pictures.SA国际影视传媒� And thatSA国际影视传媒檚 the Inuit community, doing more for the promotion [of their own people] that I can use to harmonize that into [other] relationshipsSA国际影视传媒� I say to [the board of directors], SA国际影视传媒業SA国际影视传媒檝e been invited by the Canadian government, and ISA国际影视传媒檓 going to try to find more marketplaces for Inuit artSA国际影视传媒�.SA国际影视传媒�

Huffman says he was compelled by the inequities between the North and the south.

SA国际影视传媒淲hy am I doing this? It was just so palpable how frustrated artists in the North are,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e largely been able to, over the last nine years, to go all over the world and [create] relationships with major educational institutions and museums.

Kowmageak added, SA国际影视传媒淎s a board of directors, we prioritize the organizationSA国际影视传媒檚 presence on the international stage, and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 something our founding artist members like Kenojuak Ashevak pioneered. We are proud to build on a strong tradition of taking the Inuit art of Kinngait and the work of the West Baffin Cooperative to audiences across the globe.SA国际影视传媒�