Iqaluit (July 10/06) - Think of it as a gift from the youth to the city of Iqaluit.

Armed with cans of spraypaint and a combination of traditional Inuit and modern pop cultures, the group of young artists is transforming the drab, grey wall of a civic building into the canvas for giant mural.

Jonathan Cruz and Celina Kalluk work on a spraypaint mural in Iqaluit Wednesday. The artists hope the mural brings a little colour to the gray side of a civic building in the capital. - Chris Windeyer/NNSL photo

“We’re just adding colour,” says artist Celina Kalluk, also well-known as a throat singer.

“Nobody really notices this area... now people might drive slower.”

The mural on the side of the Arnaituq Arena is done in a graffiti art style. Artist Jonathan Cruz, a former Iqalummiut raised in Toronto and who now lives in Ottawa, became fascinated by the artform riding trains down south.

It’s common practice for urban graffiti artists to “tag” the sides of boxcars with elaborate signatures and designs that end up travelling all over the continent.

But Cruz doesn’t like the term graffiti because it has illegal connotations. Think of it instead as urban art, he said.

“I want people to look at it as a nice piece of work.”

Cruz said he was reluctant at first to get involved with the project because he didn’t want to interfere with Inuit culture. But Sylvia Cloutier, another artist and prominent throat singer, says the combination of tradition and pop culture is breathing new life into Inuit art forms.

“This (piece) is very modern, but inspired by old ways,” she said.

The group lobbied for permission to use the wall by going to two city council meetings and “carefully (asking) their permission,” Cloutier said. “It’s their wall.”

The city was sold on the project and is footing the bill.

While the group talks to a reporter, a city bylaw officer pulls up.

“Nice job,” he says.

The group gets a compliment like that about “every 15 minutes” says Kalluk.