Works at new health centre reflect culture of the community
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Arviat (Feb 14/01) - Visitors to the new Arviat Health Centre will be treated to eye-catching artwork when the facility opens this spring.
Local artist Brian Arualak, 26, has been hired to paint the centre's lobby and emergency corridor in Inuit themes.
Hilary Rebeiro, general manager of Piruqsaijit Ltd., which is managing the project, says the purpose of it is to instill a sense of pride in the community for its new facility.
He says Dorothy Gibbons headed up a three-person community selection committee put in place to select the artist.
"I asked them to select someone who they felt was competent in doing the job and who understood Inuit culture and Arualak was selected," says Rebeiro.
"I saw his original drafts and they were quite impressive."
Arualak started the design portion of his work in late November and started going on site just before Christmas to develop his concepts. The actual painting began in January. Rebeiro says the artist was given pretty much a free reign, with the exception of criteria for material he couldn't use on the walls.
"In a medical facility such as this, the walls are scrubbed twice a year with a very strong detergent and the materials have to be able to withstand that type of thing.
"We supplied the materials he needed through the Eskimo Point Lumber Co. and are paying him an hourly wage to do the actual artwork."
Rebeiro says the artwork will reflect the culture of the community, and there is also a therapeutic value to the work.
"When patients and hospital staff go to the health centre, they want to see something that triggers a sense of familiarity and comfort within themselves.
"The artwork should last a lifetime and carry themes of Inuit culture, legends and way of life. Being designed by a local artist with Inuit culture in mind, this should be something the community would be proud to show to anyone."
