Conversations with Landscapes: 45 Days in Oqaatsut

Two Rivers Gallery: Prince George, BC

Canfor Gallery – January 22nd to April 4th, 2021 Lenka Novakova In Conversations with Landscapes: 45 Days in Oqaatsut, Montreal artist Lenka Novakova builds an immersive environment inspired by nearly two months spent in a small coastal community on the west coast of Greenland, 250 km north of the Arctic Circle. Her days were spent observing, thinking and engaging with the contemporary life of local Inuit communities near Greenland’s Ilulissat Icefjord, the sea mouth of one of the fastest and most active glaciers in the world. Using materials related to fishing and hunting: fishing nets, sleds and seal skins, she reflects upon the Anthropocene, its increasing impact, and the significant challenges it represents to life and culture. In Conversations with Landscapes Novakova’s installation explores a fascinating array of seemingly distant landscapes and hopes to stimulate awareness of the challenges of climate change.

The project has been developed with the support of Arctic Culture Lab / FRQSC Government of Quebec / Fonds de Recherche Societe et Culture Featured Artwork: Lenka Novakova, Conversations with Landscapes: 45 Days in Oqaatsut (detail), 2020. Photograph

Description:

Conversations with Landscapes: 45 Days in Oqaatsut is an immersive environment inspired by observing, thinking and engaging with an every-day contemporary live of a small Inuit community located on the west coast of Greenland, 250 km north of the Arctic Circle near Greenland’s Ilulissat Icefjord - the sea mouth of one of the fastest and most active glaciers in the world. Formed by materials related to fishing and hunting: fishing nets, sleds and seal skins, the scenographies of the environment envelop the audience in an ephemeral array of dream-like scenes and reflects upon the Anthropocene through evolving imagery of fascinating and seemingly distant landscapes

Technical Information

3 cylindrical structures formed by fishing nets / 12’ diameter / ceiling suspension

4 source projectors

2 speakers

Space Requirements

47’ x 27’ (minimum)

Acknowledgements

Developed with the support of FRQSC: Fonds Societe et culture / Gouvernement du Quebec

Arctic Culture Lab: Located in Oqaatsut, Greenland and Two Rivers Gallery in Prince George, BC

Credits

Concept and Creation / Lenka Novakova

Special Thanks to Andreas Huffman