Connecting to the Arctic through Kiakshuk’s Art

The Canadian Official Residence in Los Angeles or, as we call it, “Canada’s House in LA” allows us to showcase and share an amazing array of visual art with guests. I arrived at my post in December 2018, and in 2019 I was lucky enough to participate in the refurbishment project of the Official Residence. This included working closely with the Global Affairs Visual Art Collection to curate the fine art displayed in the Official Residence. The resulting selection highlights the rich and diverse art traditions from different time periods, geographical regions and cultures within Canada. When thinking about representing Canada in the Southwest US, I wanted to ensure Canada’s House remained strongly connected to images and ideas of what we proudly know as the true North. The artwork selection in the Los Angeles Official Residence includes depictions of life and the rich history of the Arctic, such as Seal Hunters (1966) by renowned Inuit artist, Kiakshuk. 

Kiakshuk was born in 1886 and was part of the first generation of artists working out of the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative (now Kinngait Studios) in the 1950s. His works were foundational to the internationally recognized contemporary Inuit art tradition, which has informed the world’s perspective of the Arctic. His bold images convey Inuit oral histories of hunting and family life, as well as the legends of animals and spirits that shared the Arctic landscape with him. 

Seal Hunters is special for many reasons; it is one of Kiakshuk’s final works and highlights the importance of community, collaboration and specific Inuit technologies required to thrive in the Arctic climate. 

I recently had the opportunity to board the HMCS Harry DeWolf, an Arctic offshore patrol ship, as part of our consulate outreach in San Diego, California. After hearing the experiences of the ship’s commanding officer and other crew members regarding their circumnavigation of North America starting in the Arctic, I shared our Official Residence’s special connection to the Arctic: Kiakshuk’s Seal Hunters. This led to a further insightful and emotional discussion with the commanding officer of the crew’s time spent in Inuit communities. The memory of this time not only brought tears to staff members’ eyes but also prompted the commanding officer to bestow on us an original work by an artist they met during their time in the Arctic. The artwork features the HMCS Harry DeWolf on the Arctic sea and three polar bears welcoming the ship and crew. 

This artwork now hangs in the Canada Room of the Canadian Consulate in Los Angeles, where we host many official binational and multilateral functions, forums and events with US and global counterparts. It serves as a beautiful reminder of how artists and their work can inspire diplomacy between individuals, communities and nations. We are proud to have Kiakshuk’s work displayed in Canada’s Official Residence in Los Angeles, helping share the Arctic reality with those outside of Canada. 

 

—Born in Toronto to parents of Pakistani heritage, Zaib Shaikh has been an actor, producer and director for both screen and stage. He currently serves as Canada’s Consul General in Los Angeles, covering Southern California, Arizona and Nevada.

This piece is part of a collaborative project between Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and the Inuit Art Foundation that brings together Inuk writers and Canadian ambassadors to discuss pieces of Inuit art from the GAC collection, on display at Canadian embassies around the world.

Read more on Inuit Art Foundation website.