This fall Studio Magazine features my article on Helen Konek and Nanisiniq (the Arviat History project).
The idea for the article began during a chat Beth Greenhorn about Project Naming, a cooperative initiative involving the identification of anonymous photos of Inuit men and women at the Library and Archives of Canada. Beth tipped me off about the Nanisiniq's arrival in Ottawa and their visit to the Archives, the Museum of Civilization and the National Gallery. The Inuit youth and Elder not only discovered photographs of fellow community members but art by their family members as well.
A big thank you to Beth Greenhorn of the LAC, Christine Lalonde, Candice Hopkins of the NGC, April Dutheil, Frank Tester, Kurtis and Jordan Konek, Amy Owingayak, Martha Otokala and Patrick Pingashat of Nanisiniq, and of course Helen Konek.
(Below: grandsons Jordan and Kurtis Konek, and cousin Martha Otakala admire Helen's wall hanging.Photo credit Frank Tester)