Bonavista Biennale 2023

Dr. Michelle McGeough, Dr. Heather Igloliorte, Ossie Michelin, Megan Kyak-Monteith, Napatsi Folger and Ooleepeeka Eegeesiak outside the Mortuary Chapel during the Bonavista Biennale, August 2023. Bonavista, NL. Photograph by Danielle Miles.

Napatsi Folger at the Bonavista Biennale, August 2023. Bonavista, NL. Photograph by Danielle Miles.

Malayah Maloney, Danielle Miles and Leanne Inuarak-Dall at the Bonavista Biennale, August 2023. Bonavista, NL. Photograph by Danielle Miles.

A look towards Couzyn van Heuvelen’s installation, Nitsiit, at the Bonavista Biennale, August 2023. Bonavista, NL. Photograph by Danielle Miles.

Couzyn van Heuvelen, Nitsiit (2023), Bonavista Biennale, August 2023. Bonavista, NL. Photograph by Danielle Miles.

Ilinniaqtuk Leanne Inuarak-Dall next to Couzyn van Heuvelen’s installation, Nitsiit, at the Bonavista Biennale, August 2023. Bonavista, NL. Photography by Danielle Miles.

Megan Kyak-Monteith and Ooleepeeka Eegeesiak stand in front of Jessica Winter’s mural, Hopedale, during the Bonavista Biennale, August 2023. Bonavista, NL. Photograph by Danielle Miles.

Ilinniaqtuit alumni Megan Kyak-Monteith and Napatsi Folger attend at exhibition during the Bonavista Biennale, August 2023. Bonavista, NL. Photograph by Danielle Miles.

Ilinniaqtuit alumni Leanne Unuarak-Dall and Napatsi Folger look at Shirley Moorhouse’s sculpture during the Bonavista Biennale, August 2023. Bonavista, NL. Photograph by Danielle Miles.

Shirley Moorhouse’s sculpture during the Bonavista Biennale, August 2023. Bonavista, NL. Photograph by Danielle Miles.

Dr. Heather Igloliorte talks with other participants by the work of SK Weston at the Bonavista Biennale, August 2023. Bonavista, NL. Photograph by Danielle Miles.

SK Maston, Deep Time Drift (beaks hid in the hole a seal fin, rib bone, rabbit paw fur), 2023. Bonavista Biennale August 2023. Bonavista, NL. Photograph by Danielle Miles.

Ooleepeeka Eegeesiak and Megan Kyak-Monteith at the former Lethbridge Cash Store for Glenn Gear’s installation, katitsuik (2023) during the Bonavista Biennale, August 2023. Bonavista, NL. Photograph by Danielle Miles.

Glenn Gear, katitsuik (2023) at the Lethbridge Cash Store for the Bonavista Biennale, August 2023. Bonavista, NL. Photograph by Danielle Miles.

Inuit Futures Mentor, Léuli Eshrāghi next to Wally Dion’s artworks, Winter Quilt (2023), Grass Quilt (2022), Fire Quilt (2023) on exhibition at the Ryan Premises Salt Store during the Bonavista Biennale, August 2023. Bonavista, NL. Photograph by Danielle Miles.

Billy Gauthier stands next to his work, The Earth, Our Mother, on display in Durdle’s Warehouse during the Bonavista Biennale, August 2023. Bonavista, NL. Photograph by Danielle Miles.

Curatorial panel with Jenelle Duval, Bushra Junaid, Ryan Rice, Bethany MacKenzie and Rose Bouthillier during the Bonavista Biennale, August 2023. Bonavista, NL. Photograph by Danielle Miles.

Bonavista Biennale 2023

August 18-22, 2023
Bonavista, NL

Ilinniaqtuit, alumni, and mentors of Inuit Futures in Arts Leadership: The Pilimmaksarniq/ Pijariuqsarniq Project attended the fifth edition of the Bonavista Biennale from August 18th to 22nd. The Bonavista Biennale is a free, month-long event along the Bonavista Peninsula on the east coast of Newfoundland wherein the landscape becomes an integral part-of the presentation of artworks.

Co-curated by Inuit Futures mentor and Executive Director and Curator of Indigenous Art at Onsite Gallery, Ryan Rice, the biennale looked at the theme of Host as it related to guests, host creatures and parasitic relationships, meeting places or sites of exchange, and ultimately our relationships and responsibilities to land, water and environment. A number of Inuit artists participated in the biennale, amongst them: Glenn Gear (Inuit Futures 2020 Artist-in-Residence) with his work katitsuik at the former Lethbridge Cash Store; Billy Gauthier and his work, The Earth, Our Mother, on display in Durdle’s Warehouse; Shirley Moorhouse’s exhibition at Union House Arts (UHA); Couzyn van Heuvelen and his work, Nitsiit, installed at Maberly Lookout; and Ilinniaqtuit Alum, Jessica Winters’ mural, Hopedale (with more details below).

Inuit Futures participants saw the diverse array of art installations, met with artists, participated in the Curatorial talk as well as hosted the Public Opening party of the Biennale on August 19th, which brought together artists, community members and visitors to celebrate the biennale with music and the launch of Riddle Fence #49, a special Biennale issue.

Ilinniaqtuit and Mentors rotated between groups to discuss methods of installation, geographic and political particularities as well as other unique elements of exhibiting Inuit art publicly and in the context of a Biennale. These conversations will form the backbone of ongoing research on the subject for an upcoming Inuit Public Art Reader to be published with Inuit Futures partner, the Inuit Art Foundation.

Jessica Winters, Hopedale, 2023. Bonavista Biennale, August 2023. Bonavista, NL. Photograph by Brian Ricks. https://bonavistabiennale.com/artists/jessica-winters/#artistArtworksJessicaWinters.

Jessica Winters, Hopedale, 2023. Bonavista Biennale, August 2023. Bonavista, NL. Photograph by Danielle Miles.

Above are photographs of Jessica Winters’ mural, titled, Hopedale, exhibited during the Bonavista Biennale. The mural addressed the idea of host by celebrating the land and people that build the foundation of home–the space that provides a depth of sustenance, responsibility and enduring connections. Hopedale was jointly commissioned by Inuit Futures, the Bonavista Biennale, the Inuit Art Foundation,as well as Onsite Gallery at OCAD University where it will be presented again in 2024.

To read more about the biennale and other artists included, please click the button below.

Bonavista Biennale 2023