The Warm Up Shack

2021 · Diptych

INUA — WAG: Qaumajuq, Winnipeg

Commissioned for INUA, the inaugural exhibition at WAG: Qaumajuq, Winnipeg Art Gallery, 2021. This diptych emerges from a deeply personal context, directly tied to my involvement in the Muskrat Falls project, cultural displacement and environmental destruction. It presents a juxtaposition of two contrasting worlds, each encapsulating a different facet of a painful reality. On the left, the scene depicts my father, seated in his cabin surrounded by an untouched, serene landscape. This idyllic setting, rich in greenery and wildlife, represents our connection to lands and traditions, a world where nature and culture coexist in respectful harmony. In harsh contrast, the right panel shows me, donned in my construction gear, within a landscape scarred by industrial development. Behind me, a fire rages, symbolizing the destruction of the natural world and the waste of resources that could have sustained communities. The two of us, both in contemplative poses, clutching the warmth of our cup of tea, are separated not just by the physical space of the canvas but by the chasm of circumstance and choice. This artwork is not meant to be a narrative of resilience or hope, though these attributes run deep from generations of survival; it is an unflinching portrayal of the harsh realities faced by many Indigenous people. The space between the panels is a reflection of the growing divide between traditional values and the imperatives of a capitalist world.