First Name: Qavavau

Last Name: Manumie

Full Name: Qavavau Manumie

Name in syllabics: N/A

Alternative Names: N/A

Date of birth: 1958

Place of birth: Brandon, Manitoba, Canada

Date of death: N/A

Place of death: N/A

Community / Heritage: Inuit

Sex: Male

Disc Number: N/A

Website: N/A

Art Media: Drawing, printmaking, stonecut, stencil.

Bio:

Qavavau Manumie was born in 1958 in Brandon, Manitoba, due to his mother, Paunichea, having been hospitalized for tuberculosis treatment. He returned to Kinngait (Cape Dorset) as a very young child and has lived there since.

Manumie has been drawing since his teen years. He began working at the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative Ltd. studio in the 1980s, first as a printmaker, and later as an artist contributing prints to the annual collection. His facility at both printmaking and the graphic arts is a rare combination. His inventive work has taken him around the world to teach and give demonstrations.

In his humorous and often whimsical drawings, Manumie depicts Inuit legends and mythology, Arctic wildlife and contemporary aspects of Inuit life. Another recurring subject in Manumie’s works is the ‘Inuralaat,’ or little people, who are believed in folklore to inhabit the Arctic. Manumie often puts them in relation to everyday objects to humorous effect, using them to explore the relationship between man and tool. He has also used them to illustrate the effects of global warming. 

In 2008, Manumie traveled to Toronto for his first solo exhibition of original drawings. The following year, he had another exhibition in Vancouver.

Manumie has exhibited his works across Canada and abroad. They are part of different public collections, including the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, and the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto.

Manumie continues to live and work in Kinngait with his wife and son.

Articles:

·       https://www.gallery.ca/collection/artist/qavavau-manumie

·       https://www.straight.com/arts/600046/cold-dream-drawings-qavavau-manumie-explores-mystical-and-prosaic

·       https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/65674a_rare_look_at_cape_dorsets_hidden_art_treasures/

Exhibitions:

·       1990: “Art Inuit”, L'Art des Esquimaux du Canada, Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Maison Falleur, Cambrai, France

·       1990: “Art Inuit: Autour de la Collection de Cape Dorset 1990”, Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Centre Culturel Canadien, Paris, France

·       1991: “Art Inuit: Autour de la Collection de Cape Dorset 1991”, Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Le Colombier, Ville D'Avray, France

·       1991: “Art Inuit”, Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau. Douai at Le Theatre, la Ciotat, France

·       1991: “Inuit Music in Art: Singing and Dancing and Playing”, Feheley Fine Arts, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

·       1991: “Art Inuit”, Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Galerie Maite Aubert, Le Havre, France

·       1991: “Art Inuit”, Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at La Halle aux Bles, Saint Malo, France

·       1992: “Art Inuit”, Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Galerie Montador, Dieppe, France

·       1993: “Original Drawings by Kavavaow Mannomee of Cape Dorset”, Isaacs/Inuit Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

·       1994: “Arctic Spirit: 35 Years of Canadian Inuit Art”, Frye Art Museum, Seattle, Washington, USA

·       1994: “Kavavaow Mannomee-Original Drawings”, Albers Gallery, San Francisco, California, USA

·       1994: “Kunst van de Inuit Eskimo’s”, Gemeentelijk Kunstcentrum, Edegem, Belgium

·       1993 - 1994:  “Contemporary Inuit Drawings”, Muscarelle Museum of Art, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA

·       1994: “Kavavaow Mannomee – Original Drawings”, The Albers Gallery of Inuit Art, San Francisco, California, USA

·       1999: “Collection D'Estampes de Cape Dorset”, Canadian Guild of Crafts Quebec, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

·       2000: “Arctic Spirit-Canadian Inuit Sculpture”, Boise State University, Idaho, USA

·       2001: “Drawings from Cape Dorset”, Albers Gallery, San Francisco, California, USA

·       2003: “Then and Now-Inuit Prints form 1962 - 2002”, Inuit Gallery of Vancouver Ltd., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

·       2003: “Asingit: Inuit Art from the Macdonald Stewart Art Centre Collection, University of Guelph”, Naprstek Museum, Prague, Czech Republic

·       2005: “Birds and Spirits: Drawings by Kavavaow Mannomee”, The Albers Gallery, San Francisco, California, USA

·       2006: “Supernatural: Inuit Fantastic Sculpture”, Marion Scott Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

·       2006 - 2007: “Small Sculptures by Great Artists”, Feheley Fine Arts, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

·       2008: “Kavavau Manumee: A Dialogue”, Feheley Fine Arts, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

·       2009: “Kavavaow Mannomee: Drawings”, Marion Scott Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

·       2009: “Extreme Drawing”, Marion Scott Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

·       2009: “New Views on Old Traditions”, The Guild Shop, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

·       2009 - 2010: “Uuturautiit: Cape Dorset Celebrates 50 Years of Printmaking”, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

·       2009 - 2010: “Kinngait Studios: Cape Dorset Celebrates 50 Years of Printmaking”, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

·       2009 - 2010: “Nunannguaq: In the Likeness of the Earth”, McMicheal Canadian Art Collection, Kleinberg, Ontario, Canada

·       2009 - 2010: “Arctic Spirit: 50th Anniversary of Cape Dorset’s Kinngait Studios”, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

·       2010: “Facing Forward – New Works from Kinngait Studios”, Marion Scott Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

·       2010: “North Meets South”, Feheley Fine Arts, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

·       2010: “The Drawing Room”, Pendulum Gallery presented by DRAWN, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

·       2010: “Nipirasait: Many Voices: Inuit Prints from Cape Dorset”, The Canadian Embassy Art Gallery, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

·       2011: “Close Encounters: The Next 500 Years”, Plug-In Institute of Contemporary Art, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

·       2011: “Gallery Artists”, Marion Scott Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

·       2011: “Fall Migration: A Selection of Birds in Sculpture, Prints and Drawings”, Feheley Fine Arts, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

·       2011: “Surreal: Eight Artists In the Fantastical Tradition”, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

·       2011: “Contemporary North: Drawings from Cape Dorset”, Madrona Gallery, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

·       2012: “Summer Show”, Marion Scott Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

·       2012: “Qavavau Manumie”, Madrona Gallery, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

·       2012 - 2013: “Builders: Canadian Biennial 2012”, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

·       2013: “Venture North: Drawings from Cape Dorset”, Willock and Sax Gallery, Banff, Alberta, Canada

·       2013: “Where Do We Come From? What are We? Where are We Going? Identity in Contemporary Cape Dorset Art”, McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg, Ontario, Canada

·       2013: “Luke Ramsey & Qavavau Manumie Collaborative Works”, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

·       2013: “Dorset Seen”, Carleton University Art Gallery, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

·       2013: “Cape Dorset Prints”, Gallery 210, St. Louis, Missouri, USA

·       2013: “The Hand of the Artist”, Feheley Fine Arts, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

·       2013: “Sanaunguabik: Traditions and Transformations in Inuit Art”, Enterprise Square Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

·       2013: “Drawings: Contemporary Perspectives by Cape Dorset Artists”, The Canadian Guild of Crafts, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

·       2014: “Cape Dorset: New Generation”, Willock and Sax Gallery, Banff, Alberta, Canada

·       2014: “Contemporary Drawings from the National Gallery of Canada“, Mendal Gallery, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

·       2014: “Views from the North: Original Drawings from Cape Dorset”, Alaska on Madison, New York City, NY, USA

·       2014: “Arctic Voices”, Science North, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

·       2014: “I:ke - I have motion, A Space Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

·       2014 - 2015: “Northern Exposure”, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

·       2015: “Stonecut to Sugar-lift: Inuit Prints From the 1960s to the Present”, Marion Scott Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

·       2015: “Fifteen Years: Kingait 2000-2015”, Feheley Fine Arts, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

·       2015 - 2016: “Cold Dream: Drawings by Qavavau Manumie”, Marion Scott Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

·       2016: “Floe Edge: Contemporary Art and Collaborations From Nunavut”, Canada Gallery, Canada House, London, United Kingdom

·       2016: “Cape Dorset and Points South 2”, Theo Gantz Studio, Beacon, NY, USA

·       2016: “Arctic Wind V: Drawing from the Land”, Coastal Peoples Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

·       2016: “Neon NDN: Indigenous Pop Art”, SAW Gallery, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

·       2016 - 2017: “The Voiced Plate: Contemporary Inuit Prints”, Marion Scott Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

·       2016 - 2017: “Across the Turtle’s Back: The Kampelmaster Memorial Collection of Indigenous Art”, Mackenzie Art Gallery, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

·       2018: “Spectacular Beings”, Feheley Fine Arts, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

·       2019: “How to Breathe Forever”, OCADU Onsite Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

·       2019: “Qavavau Manumie 2019”, Inuit Gallery of Vancouver, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

·       2019: “Contemporary Drawings from Cape Dorset”, Inuit Fine Art, Port Hope, Ontario, Canada

·       2019: “Toronto Biennial”, Toronto Biennial, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

·       2019 - 2020: “60 Years: West Baffin Eskimo Cooperative Anniversary Exhibition”, Colbourne Street Gallery, Kawartha Lakes, Ontario, Canada

Awards: N/A

Collections:

·       National Gallery of Canada Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 

·       Indigenous Art Collection at Indigenous Affairs and Northern Development Canada Gatineau, Quebec, Canada 

·       McMichael Canadian Art Collection Kleinburg, Ontario, Canada 

·       Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada 

·       Canada Council Art Bank Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 

·       Canadian Museum of History, Gatineau, Quebec, Canada 

·       Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 

·       Auckland Art Museum, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA

Exhibitions

• Arctic Spirit 35 Years of Canadian Inuit Art, Frye Art Museum
• Art Inuit, Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Galerie Maite Aubert
• Art Inuit, Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Galerie Montador
• Art Inuit, Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at La Halle aux Bles
• Art Inuit, Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Thonon les Bains
• Art Inuit, Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Le Theatre
• Art Inuit, Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Palais de l'Europe
• Art Inuit, l'Art des Esquimaux du Canada, Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Maison Falleur, Cambrai
• Art Inuit: Autour de la Collection de Cape Dorset 1990, Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Centre Culturel Canadien
• Art Inuit: Autour de la Collection de Cape Dorset 1991, Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Le Colombier
• Cape Dorset Graphics *89, (annual collection)
• Cape Dorset Graphics *90, (annual collection)
• Cape Dorset Graphics *91, (annual collection)
• Cape Dorset Graphics *92, (annual collection)
• Cape Dorset Graphics *93, (annual collection)
• Cape Dorset Graphics *94, (annual collection)
• Cape Dorset Graphics *95, (annual collection)
• Cape Dorset Print Collection (printmaker) *88, (annual collection)
• Cape Dorset Print Collection (printmaker) *89, (annual collection)
• Cape Dorset Print Collection (printmaker) *90, (annual collection)
• Cape Dorset Print Collection (printmaker) *92, (annual collection)
• Cape Dorset Print Collection (printmaker) *93, (annual collection)
• Cape Dorset Print Collection (printmaker) *94, (annual collection)
• Contemporary Inuit Drawings, Muscarelle Museum of Art College of William and Mary
• Inuit Music in Art: Singing and Dancing and Playing, Feheley Fine Arts
• Kavavaow Mannomee-Original Drawings, Albers Gallery
• Kunst van de Inuit Eskimo's, Gemeentelijk Kunstcentrum Huis Hellemans

Collections

• Canadian Museum of Civilization, Hull
• McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg
• Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, Yellowknife