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From desert to city
Darrell Greer
Noah's work will be the 30th permanent outdoor display at the centre, and will be unveiled during alumni weekend on June 25.
It will be the first Inuit sculpture included in the centre's sculpture park. The park is one of the largest of its kind in Canada, and represents contemporary Canadian artists, with the majority of exhibits featuring the artist's first public sculpture. Dawn Owen is an exhibition co-ordinator with the Macdonald Stewart Art Centre. She says while this is the first permanent outdoor sculpture Noah has been commissioned to make in Canada, he was commissioned to make an Inukshuk on the grounds of the U.S.A.'s Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona, about five years ago. "We thought it's high time for our sculpture park to have a representation of Inuit art and William (Noah) was the obvious choice," says Owen. "The sculpture was commissioned with funds donated by the Class of 1955 on the 50th anniversary of their graduation from the Macdonald Institute. "The commission is in memory of professor Gordon Couling, who was the founding chair of the University of Guelph's department of fine art." Work in progress At this point, only design drawings exist for Noah's project, which will be designed and created on site. The plan calls for the project to be supported by a circular platform of cement, which will be camouflaged from the viewer. On top, there will be five sculptural components meant to be experienced by people through physical interaction. One component will actually be bench-like, to allow people to sit within the sculpture. Owen says while the piece will be inspired by the four formations of Inuksuit, it will be brought more into the realm of contemporary Canadian art than a strictly traditional piece would allow for. "That means the sculpture won't, necessarily, include as much about Inuit tradition as William may want to bring into the work. "But, we're trying to understand it as visual art being made in Canada today, and not so much anthropologically. "We want the finished piece to bridge the original inspiration of the Inuksuit tradition to a contemporary Canadian sculpture, which is functional for different reasons in the South."
Working on memoirs Owen says Noah has contributed significantly to art centre publications, and is working on his memoirs with centre director Judith Nasby. She says hopes are high the book will finally be published within the next couple of years. "William's memoirs will also offer a Canadian art gallery's perspective on collecting his works, as well as other Inuit artists, through our director's involvement with the project. "His work is also included in two exhibitions we currently have travelling in Europe and Latin American. "We're really quite proud of our ongoing relationship with him." Noah, the son of famous Inuit artist Jessie Oonark, celebrated his 62nd birthday this past Saturday, June 4. He says he's always considered it an honour to create an Inukshuk for display. "Putting a form of our tradition on display in large southern areas might bring a better understanding of Inuit culture to them," says Noah. "If not understanding, maybe, at least, awareness." Enjoys creating Noah says he still works because he still enjoys creating. He's also involved in the Art and Cold Cash project with fellow artists Sheila and Jack Butler, Patrick Mahon and Ruby Arngna'uaaq, exploring the relationship between art and social values of the North and South. Noah says he is also looking forward to his memoirs being completed. "I'm anxious to see how it's going to turn out. "I tell a bit about my time in politics as both an MLA in the NWT legislature, and as mayor of Baker Lake. "And, in addition to my art, I tell of the starvation we went through in 1957 and 1958 in Back River and Gary Lake. "Since moving to Baker in early '58, my art has taken me across Nunavut, Canada and the United States."
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