Inside Qaumajuq's Visible Vault

Project Spotlight: A new centre in Winnipeg makes visible in the world’s largest public collection of Inuit art.

ch’i cha jų̃ kwa’ch’e Jų̃ ts’e’į Dän däw Kwenjè
An undulating glass structure inside a contemporary gallery space. It is lined with many shelves featuring Inuit sculpture and carvings which can be seen from the exterior.
Dazhän akàndür dänkwänji ke shų nenàdhàt.
Author
Photography by

Qaumajuq is an innovative new museum dedicated to Inuit art and culture, a home for the largest public collection of contemporary Inuit art in the world. This first-of-its-kind centre is connected to the Winnipeg Art Gallery on all levels, creating a cultural campus in downtown Winnipeg. Qaumajuq provides a platform for Inuit voices through exhibitions, research, education, and art making.

An undulating glass structure inside a contemporary gallery space. It is lined with many shelves featuring Inuit sculpture and carvings which can be seen from the exterior.
A view of the Qaumajuq Visible Vault. COURTESY WINNIPEG ART GALLERY-QAUMAJUQ.

One of the most exciting architectural features of the new Inuit art centre, Qaumajuq, is the Visible Vault. You can now explore this innovative new vault from home using an interactive digital platform made possible with support from the Canada Council for the Arts.

This online version of the vault allows special access to maps, images, and audio-visual clips highlighting 150 carvings from the world’s largest public collection of contemporary Inuit art. Visit the site to learn more about the stories and history behind these artworks shared by Inuit artists, curators, and community members.

A person wearing a mask, hat, scarf, and winter jacket touches an interactive screen inside the Qaumajuq Visible Vault. The screen displays a soapstone carving on a white background.
A visitor explores the Qaumajuq Visible Vault. COURTESY WINNIPEG ART GALLERY-QAUMAJUQ.

Credit: This video was originally published by The Winnipeg Art Gallery, July 22, 2021. COURTESY WINNIPEG ART GALLERY-QAUMAJUQ.

This story is part of the Qaumajuq Partner Spotlight. View more content from the Spotlight here.

Article Tags

Canada | Inuvialuit Settlement Region | Nunatsiavut (Newfoundland and Labrador) | Nunavik (Arctic Québec) | Nunavut | Community | Digital Arts | känàdän | dákwändǖr | Indigenous | Institutions | Inuit | Visual Arts | Ädä̀äkal
Previous Back to All Articles Next

You May Also Like

A Q&A with the curators of INUA

Qaumajuq’s inaugural exhibition is historic in itself—for the first time ever, a curatorial team represents all four regions of Inuit…

Indigenous Sovereignty ch’i cha jų̃ kwa’ch’e Dän däw Kwenjè
Read Article

Inuit Cinema to Watch

The Labrador Documentary Project

A flexible format that lends itself to experimentation, the short film anthology can carry multiple voices and stories,…

Nän / Nün ch’i cha jų̃ kwa’ch’e Dän däw Kwenjè
Read Article