INUA Behind the Scenes: Exhibition Design with Nicole Luke
Nicole Luke has had a busy year working as the Lead Exhibition Designer for INUA, Qaumajuq’s inaugural exhibition, and starting a position as a Research Assistant for the Canadian Centre for Architecture, all while continuing completing a Master of Architecture at the University of Manitoba. We caught up with Nicole to find out how she has been balancing all of these exciting projects.
Photo courtesy of Nicole Luke.
INUA is the largest project Nicole has been involved with to-date, and her position as Lead Exhibition Designer was made possible through connections with Inuit Futures in Arts Leadership. Nicole was not fully aware of the scale of INUA before she began, but she quickly realized the extent and importance of the project within both Inuit and broader Canadian cultures, and was thrilled to take on this professional role to accompany her studies. As the Lead Exhibition Designer, Nicole was responsible for submitting design proposals, creating digital models, architectural mock-ups, and blueprints of the gallery. She collaborated closely with the INUA curatorial team, including Inuit Futures Project Director Heather Igloliorte and fellow Inuit Futures Ilinniaqtuk Krista Ulujuk Zawadski, who is also Nicole’s cousin.
Digital 3D model of the INUA gallery space with collage, image courtesy of Nicole Luke.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nicole spent much of her time working from home. While the team could not meet in person, Nicole’s design work, including a to-scale digital 3D model of the gallery space, allowed everyone to see all of the artworks in place months before the exhibition was realized. An important part of Nicole’s role as exhibition designer was to offer insights and suggestions into the physical gallery space. This was particularly important in the context of the pandemic, when access to the gallery space was limited.
Digital sketch, INUA exhibition design. Image courtesy of Nicole Luke
Nicole’s objective as Exhibition Designer was to push the boundaries of what a gallery could be by creating a space that was culturally applicable to Inuit. This was achieved by centering Inuit views and perspectives and incorporating familiar qualities of Inuit Nunangat, such as the shapes and colour of the northern landscape and traditional tattoo designs, into the physical design of the space. During the weeks leading up to the opening, Nicole was able to visit the gallery and assist with the exhibition’s installation. “It was nice to see everyone in person, after everything being so digital.”
““When things became more finalized and all of the curators were in town, I was actually able to go into the space with them and help them with installation, and help them figure out some of the wall hangings and organization.””
Structure Axo, Part of Nicole’s Master’s Thesis Work. Image courtesy of Nicole Luke.
Nicole has also taken up a role as a Research Assistant at the The Canadian Centre for Architecture in Montreal, which she began in January of this year. Nicole is helping to develop an exhibition related to circumpolar arctic sovereignty through architectural design, working closely with a curatorial team that includes Inuit Futures Mentors Taqralik Partridge and Jocelyn Piirainen. The project, as yet untitled, is still in the early stages, but Nicole is excited to continue working on it now that she has finished her coursework at University of Manitoba. While her work with the CCA continues, Nicole says she is looking forward to spending her summer developing her own side projects, taking a bit of time off and getting some sun. Nicole is planning to take up a full time position with an architecture firm after she graduates this fall.
Nicole Luke presenting at the Canadian Architecture Forum on Education: Prairie, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB. February 2020. Photo by D. Hewlett.
To learn more about Nicole’s involvement with Inuit Futures as an Illiniaqtuk, visit our profiles page.
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