Nancy Makittuq Mike
(Nunavummiuq), Pangniqtuuq, Nunavut
Paunnakuluit,
2024
Digital Art. 2280 x 3000px. Original design courtesy of the artist. Stencil print designed by Joé Côté-Rancourt.
Projection description
Fireweed is a tenacious and vibrant edible flower commonly found in many Arctic and Subarctic environments, as well as more southern climates. As such, this Arctic flora is a common sighting for Inuit who live within Inuit communities across Inuit Nunaat as well as southern Canada and other circumpolar countries.
The artist usually transforms her drawings into textile print media, especially fabric prints used for clothing and household textiles, but the curators of Ilagiit/Relatives asked Nancy Mike to adapt the pattern as the backdrop for the garment display in the FOFA Gallery’s vitrines. The gallery’s co-curator and technician in sustainability, Joé Côté-Rancourt, used the fireweed and berries from Mike’s drawing to create a vibrant pink print that was hand painted on the gallery’s vitrine’s walls. Mike’s drawing is also the inspiration of this exhibition catalogue’s design.
About the artist
Nancy Makittuq Mike is a talented multimedia artist from Pangnirtung, Nunavut, currently living in Iqaluit, Nunavut. Nancy's creations are a diverse range of skills including throat singing, accordion playing, visual arts, and writing. A dedicated mother of four, she is also a nurse/researcher and was previously a member of the Iqaluit-based band The Jerry Cans. Nancy performs many of her songs in Inuktitut, driven by her passion for preserving the Inuktut language. Through her artistic endeavors, she is committed to representing Inuit culture and challenging common misconceptions about life in Inuit Nunangat.
