From the Author
Many people have been instrumental in the writing of this publication. I acknowledge the professionalism of the entire team at the Art Canada Institute, especially Sara Angel, Meg Taylor, and Kendra Ward, for the opportunity to share the spectacular work of Shuvinai Ashoona with a broader public. I thank York University’s Visual Art & Art History Department and my doctorate advisors Dr. Anna Hudson, Dr. Sarah Parsons, and Dr. Gerald McMaster, who are critical to my presentation. Special thanks to Patricia Feheley and Brad van der Zanden at Feheley Fine Arts for their knowledge, assistance, and encouragement. The people at Dorset Fine Arts have been an invaluable resource as well as my colleagues at the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative in Kinngait. A special thanks to William Ritchie for his valuable insight and deep experience and William Huffman for his encouragement. I respect my many colleagues at the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Art Museum at the University of Toronto, and The Power Plant, who have offered me many opportunities to present the work of Inuit artists within their galleries. Most importantly is Shuvinai Ashoona, for her honesty and friendship. Artists are the core, the reason, and the joy of all curatorial work.
From the Art Canada Institute
This online art book was made possible thanks to its Title Sponsor: TD Bank. Much gratitude goes to the Founding Sponsor for the Canadian Online Art Book Project: BMO Financial Group. Gratitude also goes to Institutional Sponsor: Esker Foundation.
The Art Canada Institute gratefully acknowledges its other sponsors for the 2016–17 Season: Aimia, Kiki and Ian Delaney, The Scott Griffin Foundation, Rosamond Ivey, London Community Foundation, Karen Schreiber and Marnie Schreiber, and The McLean Foundation.
Thanks also to the Art Canada Institute Founding Patrons: Jalynn H. Bennett, the Butterfield Family Foundation, David and Vivian Campbell, Albert E. Cummings, Kiki and Ian Delaney, the Fleck Family, Roger and Kevin Garland, Gershon Iskowitz Foundation, The Scott Griffin Foundation, Michelle Koerner and Kevin Doyle, Phil Lind, Sarah and Tom Milroy, Nancy McCain and Bill Morneau, Gerald Sheff and Shanitha Kachan, Sandra L. Simpson, Pam and Mike Stein, and Robin and David Young, Sara and Michael Angel; as well as its Founding Partner Patrons: The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation and Partners in Art.
The ACI gratefully acknowledges the support and assistance of the Agnes Etherington Art Centre (Jennifer Nicoll); Art Gallery of Guelph (Alexandra Hartstone-Gamrot, Shauna McCabe, Dawn Owen); Art Gallery of Ontario (Amy Furness, Ian Lefebvre, Tracy Mallon-Jensen, Larry Pfaff, Sean Weaver); Art Museum at the University of Toronto (Justine Kicek, Heather Pigat); Bank of Montreal (Dawn Cain); Canadian Museum of History; Claridge Inc.; Dorset Fine Arts (David Hannan); Feheley Fine Arts (Pat Feheley, Brad van der Zanden); Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center (Karen Hines); Marion Scott Gallery (Charles Bateman); McMichael Canadian Art Collection (Alexandra Cousins); Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (Marie-Claude Saia); Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (Pascale Tremblay, Anne-Marie Zeppetelli); National Gallery of Canada (Raven Amiro); Oakville Galleries (Clara Halpern, Matthew Hyland); Pierre-François Ouellette art contemporain (Sean Greenspoon, Pierre-François Ouellette); Royal Bank of Canada (Robin Anthony); Winnipeg Art Gallery (Nicole Fletcher, Karen Kisiow); and Barry Appleton, Christopher Bredt, Shary Boyle, Martha Burns, Jamie Cameron, Stephanie Comer, Marcia Connolly, Rob Craigie, Paul and Mary Desmarais, Paul Gross, Edward J. Guarino, Toni Hafkenscheid, Kevin Hearn, Lee Henderson, Suzanne Lamarre, John Noestheden, Ed Pien, Janice Pine, Peter Power, John and Joyce Price, Peter Ross, Sam and Esther Sarick, Judy Schulich, David Stein, Peter Watson, and Johannes Zits.
Image Sources
Every effort has been made to secure permissions for all copyrighted material. The Art Canada Institute will gladly correct any errors or omissions.
Credit for Banner Images
Biography: Photograph of Shuvinai Ashoona, c. March 2, 2005. Photograph by William Ritchie.
Key Works: Shuvinai Ashoona, Composition (Attack of the Tentacle Monsters), 2015. (See below for details.)
Significance & Critical Issues: Shuvinai Ashoona, Composition (Mother and Child Sedna), 2012. (See below for details.)
Sources & Resources: Shuvinai Ashoona, To the Print Shop, 2013. (See below for details.)
Where to See: Installation view of Universal Cobra, 2015, with InaGodadavida on the right. Photograph by Paul Litherland. (See below for details.)
Catalogue for the exhibition Noise Ghost and Other Stories. Art Museum at the University of Toronto. Courtesy of Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto. Photo credit: Ian Lefebvre.
Interior spread of catalogue for the exhibition Noise Ghost and Other Stories. Art Museum at the University of Toronto. Courtesy of Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto. Photo credit: Sean Weaver.
Cover of the catalogue for Three Women, Three Generations, 1999. McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg. Courtesy of Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto. Photo credit: Ian Lefebvre.
Installation of Earth and Sky, 2012, at the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, April 26–September 2, 2013. Photograph by Janice Pine. Courtesy of Janice Pine and John Noestheden.
Installation view of Universal Cobra, 2015. Photograph by Paul Litherland. Courtesy of Pierre-François Ouellette art contemporain, Montreal.
Installation view of Universal Cobra, 2015, with InaGodadavida on the right. Photograph by Paul Litherland. Courtesy of Pierre-François Ouellette art contemporain, Montreal.
Installation view of Woven Thoughts, September 2014. Photograph by Renzo Fernandez. Courtesy of Feheley Fine Arts, Toronto.
Art Canada Institute
Massey College, University of Toronto
4 Devonshire Place
Toronto, ON M5S 2E1
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Campbell, Nancy, 1965-, author
Shuvinai Ashoona: life & work / Nancy Campbell.
Includes bibliographical references.
Contents: Biography — Key works — Significance & critical issues — Style &
technique — Sources & resources — Where to see.
Issued in print and electronic formats.
ISBN 978-1-4871-0123-7 (hardcover).–ISBN 978-1-4871-0117-6 (HTML).
–ISBN 978-1-4871-0120-6 (PDF).–ISBN 978-1-4871-0122-0 (mobile)
1. Ashoona, Shuvinai, 1961-. 2. Ashoona, Shuvinai,
1961- –Criticism and interpretation. 3. Inuit drawing–Canada.
I. Ashoona, Shuvinai, 1961- . Drawings. Selections. II. Art
Canada Institute, issuing body III. Title.
About the Author
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