I presented initial insights from 4.5 months engaging with Inuit artists on Baffin Island.
The work would not have been possible without the support of these communities, my translators/interpreters Omalluk Ostiutsiaq, William Kilabuk and Jojo Aningmiuq for the project and of course all project participants. Thank you.
I also acknowledge the support of SSHRC, ArcticNet, West Baffin Eskimo Co-op, Hamlet of Pangnirtung and NSTP making this research possible.
Exploring Inuit Artistic Voice about Arctic Sea Ice Change
1. Exploring Inuit artistic voice
about Arctic sea ice change:
How does art and artistic process contribute to bridging
knowledge systems?
Kaitlyn J Rathwell
PhD Candidate
University of Waterloo, Canada
@kjrathwell
December 10, 2013
3. Research Objectives
1
To examine the role of Inuit art + artistic processes in
understanding and making sense of Arctic environmental and
sea ice change
2
To engage with local artists and youth to create an artistic
piece on the theme of Arctic sea ice change
3
To assess how art and artistic processes may serve as a
method, strategy or approach to bridge knowledge systems
about Arctic environmental and sea ice change
4
To explore how art and artistic process have been or could be
leveraged to improve management and governance efforts in
the context of Arctic change.
4. Initial Insights…
• Sea ice change and climate change is noted and
expressed by Inuit artists
• Art and artistic process can help with bridging
knowledge systems (scientific, Inuit)
• Art and artistic processes for processing and
sharing embodied knowledge of Arctic
environmental change
5. 1. Interviews with professional artists in
Cape Dorset and Pangnirtung (n = 30)
Tim Pitsiulak, Climate Change, 2011, Pencil crayon,
64.8 x 49.5 cm, Courtesy of Feheley Fine Arts
“That drawing is a picture of an
elder on one side the half of
the face and the other half of
the face is the ice breaking up.
Saying that the elders notice
the ice breaks up much earlier
and the ice does not form as it
use too in the past…..If I made
the face looking downward
that may mean the end is near,
but you are always told to keep
your head up”
Tim Pitsiulak
15. Research Objectives
1
To examine the role of (Inuit) art + artistic processes in understanding and making
sense of Arctic environmental and sea ice change
2
To engage with local artists and youth to create an artistic piece on the theme of
Arctic sea ice change
3
To assess how art and artistic processes may serve as a method, strategy or
approach to bridge knowledge systems about Arctic environmental and sea ice
change
4
To explore how art and artistic process have been or could be leveraged to improve
management and governance efforts in the context of Arctic change.
16. Next steps…
• ArcticNet Interviews
– Interested in perspective of governance practitioners (e.g. from
Arctic council) and scientists about the role of art
– Perspectives on artworks
– What if anything could art and artistic processes add to your
work and your processes of cross-cultural engagement?
• Music Composition and Performance as K La Luna
– ROM Toronto Jan 26th
– Post-Normal@bandcamp.com
• Continued engagement with Inuit Artists
– Tanya Tagaq
– Shuvinai Ashoona continued…
– Communities
Kaitlyn J Rathwell
Kaitlyn.rathwell@uwaterloo.ca
(519) 222-7146
@kjrathwell
17. Thank You
Kaitlyn J Rathwell
Environmental Change Governance Group
(ECGG), University of Waterloo, Canada
Kaitlyn.rathwell@uwaterloo.ca
(519) 222-7146
@kjrathwell
18. Your interview…
• Interested in perspective of governance
practitioners (e.g. from Arctic council) and
scientists about the role of art
• Perspectives on artworks
• What if anything could art and artistic
processes add to your work and your
processes of cross-cultural engagement?
Kaitlyn J Rathwell
Kaitlyn.rathwell@uwaterloo.ca
(519) 222-7146
@kjrathwell
19. Music making is integral to my
research process
“Our stories and
legends, they can
be written into
songs so that
everyone would
hear it and
understand.”
Jaco Ishulutaq
Notas do Editor
How we make sense of and adapt to Arctic sea ice change. Necessity of combining scientific and Local Inuit knowledge (Gita Laidler) yet settings are limited I propose art and artistic processes. But first start openly learning if Inuit artists are expressing perspectives of climate change and sea ice change in their art.
How we make sense of environmental change is central to how we navigate that change. The language, assumptions and narratives describing changes in the Arctic, frame how people understand Arctic change and, in turn, the actions and decisions that are considered legitimate responses to that change (Forsyth 2003; Robbins 2012; Dryzek 2005). Different knowledge systems may have different means to understand a changing environment and different experiences of that environment and change. Some mechanisms offered in the literature for integrating knowledge systems (e.g. local co-management arrangements) are criticized for a limited capacity to engage with the cultural nuance of different knowledge systems, and acting within the dominant hegemony of western institutional practice for sense making, communication and governance (Leduc 2006; Nadasdy 2003). Alternative forms of sense making and expression (e.g. the arts), can articulate the cultural nuance of different perspectives. Art and artistic engagement in the context of understanding and navigating complex environmental change can be one way to respect the cultural nuances of indigenous ecological knowledge (Cruikshank, 2005; Leduc, 2006; 2011), complement adaptive learning processes by bridging knowledge systems and supporting collective visioning (Goldstein 2008), and support emotional and social cohesion during periods of rapid change (Vancouver Art Gallery 2006). Thus, an artistic approach, nurtured by a supportive governance context could offer a fruitful setting to bridge Inuit and scientific knowledge systems, and to understand and navigate Arctic sea ice change. However, this area of scholarship and practice remains largely unexamined.
INITIAL INSIGHTS: 1) Direct commentary e.g. Tim, Jaco 2) indirect commentary 3) materials 4) human-environment 5) connection 6) adaptive (perspective, wise, embracing change and uncertainty)
Helped by professional artists in Pangnirtung
Participatory art workshops –process based. Storytelling, sketching, games prizes
Extended process over 4 months different aspects of multi-form mural- here we are @ elders home for help with framing as a seal skin stretch.
INITIAL INSIGHTS: 1) Losing expectations (outcome, process) for cross-cultural art making 2) perspectives about human-environment connection and change naturally emerge 3) opportunity for bridging knowledge systems (Inuit, western; elder, youth) 4) lessons in youth engagement 5) community project- mobile mural, many people contributed their capacities up now for community to witness.
Respected elder and professional artist. Works in National Art Gallery. Trust and personal connection. Playing music, singing and dancing and sewing together.
Sea ice Past- ‘it’s a beautiful day, a wonderful day’ ElisapeeIshulutaq, 2013 pencil, paint on paper- way of life, materials, attitude, connection to nature, type of tent. Autumn camp preparations. Yet, No sea ice!!!! As her stories continued I realized that sea ice did not need to feature in this painting because it was omnipresent, the family is happy because they know the sea ice is forming.
Melting from underneith. Not such a bad day (perspective outlook). No future drawing.
Embodied knowledge of sea ice change. Watching the sea ice form with ShuvinaiAshoona. Contemporary Inuit artist and friend. Drawing, Transformation, connection, ‘Vapor of the universe’ Woman is fishing and falling into the water
Drawing, Transformation, connection, ‘Vapor of the universe’ Woman is fishing and falling into the water. Still in progress. “She has to concentrate more and more” – explanation for why her tongue is out. Shuvinai and I spent a lot of time walking along the water edge watching the ice form. How can art communicate embodied knowledge of experience?
How we make sense of environmental change is central to how we navigate that change. The language, assumptions and narratives describing changes in the Arctic, frame how people understand Arctic change and, in turn, the actions and decisions that are considered legitimate responses to that change (Forsyth 2003; Robbins 2012; Dryzek 2005). Different knowledge systems may have different means to understand a changing environment and different experiences of that environment and change. Some mechanisms offered in the literature for integrating knowledge systems (e.g. local co-management arrangements) are criticized for a limited capacity to engage with the cultural nuance of different knowledge systems, and acting within the dominant hegemony of western institutional practice for sense making, communication and governance (Leduc 2006; Nadasdy 2003). Alternative forms of sense making and expression (e.g. the arts), can articulate the cultural nuance of different perspectives. Art and artistic engagement in the context of understanding and navigating complex environmental change can be one way to respect the cultural nuances of indigenous ecological knowledge (Cruikshank, 2005; Leduc, 2006; 2011), complement adaptive learning processes by bridging knowledge systems and supporting collective visioning (Goldstein 2008), and support emotional and social cohesion during periods of rapid change (Vancouver Art Gallery 2006). Thus, an artistic approach, nurtured by a supportive governance context could offer a fruitful setting to bridge Inuit and scientific knowledge systems, and to understand and navigate Arctic sea ice change. However, this area of scholarship and practice remains largely unexamined.
Sharing as an artist (revealing emotion and perspective – see blog)Connecting via musicProcessing with the help of music and collaborative compositionPerforming where music is hyper object or boundary object to connect knowledge systems