Where are They Now: Isabelle Uyaralaaq Avingaq Choquette
Isabelle Uyaralaaq Avingaq Choquette was first introduced to Inuit Futures in Arts Leadership project through Inuit Futures Leadership Group member and project Mentor Jessica Kotierk, while Isabelle was a student in the Museum Studies program at Collège Montmorency in Laval, QC. In 2018-2019, Isabelle studied a new collection of Inuit art at the University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA) under the guidance of Jessica, the Manager/Curator of Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum. That Inuit art collection, which included mostly Kinngait art, was recently gifted to UMMA by the Power Family. With Jessica, Isabelle researched biographical information on the artists and their communities, and also engaged in community outreach by using social media videos to ask communities to share what they know about the artists and artworks that are part of the collection. Through this process, learnt from Jessica about building relationships within and beyond museums.
Her studies and first-hand experience working with museum collections has served Isabelle very well; since graduating from her Museum Studies program in 2020, she has been working as a museum technician at the Avataq Cultural Institute. Here, Isabelle has a multifaceted role which requires her to manage donations of artworks, and catalogue, photograph and document the works while also assisting in the management of many of the projects and exhibitions that comes through the institute’s doors. In August 2021, Isabelle travelled to Inukjuak to take care of an art collection that Avataq oversees. Isabelle says that she’s learning everyday and has recently been learning about many contemporary and older artists, saying, “I can actually identify some artists through their artworks now”.
Isabelle is originally from southern Quebec near Montreal; her father is a white settler and her mother is an Inuk from Igloolik. After high school, Isabelle worked as an administrator for Kativik Ilisarniliriniq in Montreal for nearly seven years, but after taking a career test, Isabelle realized that a career in museums would be perfect for her because she could combine her hands-on, practical skills and passion for her culture.“It joins what I like to do and my culture, so it’s a nice mix of both my interests.” Following the test, she decided to apply for the museum studies program at Collège Montmorency. Isabelle says that going back to school was a challenge at first and she often put others who were educated on a pedestal, but when she graduated she realized, “Wow, I can do it, too.”
Through her museum studies program, Isabelle met many wonderful professors who have taught her a lot about working in museums. She was also able to participate in the curation of a photo exhibition in Kangiqsualujjuaq. She says that one of the most significant impacts of undertaking postsecondary studies after working for so many years was in proving to herself that she can excel in academic spaces. While studying in the program, Isabelle applied for a job opportunity at Avataq Cultural Institute through Young Canada Works and she began taking care of the Nunavik art collection. She could not have had that opportunity had she not been a student, and it introduced her to Avataq, resulting in her permanent employment after graduation. It has also led to other exciting opportunities, such as being invited to join the Board of Directors for the Inuit Art Foundation, a major partner of the Inuit Futures project.
In fall 2021, Isabelle worked on exhibition projects such as ᓴᕐᖀᒋᐊᓪᓚᓂᖅ : ᐸᑎᒃᑎᒐᓕᐅᕐᓂᖅ ᓄᓇᕕᒻᒥ (2014-2019) | Sarqiigiallaniq : Patiktigaliurniq Nunavimmi (2014-2019) at the Joliette Art Museum and will assist through its tour of 6 communities in Nunavik and elsewhere in Canada next year. As well, she participated in the development of other exhibition projects such as With the Seasons curated by asinnajaq at the McClure Gallery in May 2022.
In the future, Isabelle looks forward to meeting and working with other Inuit in her field, as well as working with collections from her own community of Igloolik as soon as the opportunity presents itself.