The initial research for this project investigated the depiction of landscape and material culture in Inuit art. To the non-northern eye, arctic geography appears as a gradation of whites and grays. However, the paintings of Inuit artists Janet Kigusiuq and Nicotye Samayualie reveal a mode of viewing an arctic landscape saturated in color and suffused with collective memory and generational knowledge. Ellesmere Island, located in the high Canadian arctic, has historically been a key site for the study of climate and atmospheric behavior. However, in 2018, the Canadian government refused funding for research on Ellesmere Island, jeopardizing the continuity of scientific data collection. Our research uncovered a unique opportunity to build partnerships between indigenous and research communities, linking the knowledge branches of cryospheric science with indigenous art and knowledge, also called IQ or (Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit). This project proposes a gateway airport building in Grise Fiord, the main settlement on Ellesmere Island, and a research outpost that operates as a co-op, bringing researchers and indigenous artists together under one roof.
