Art from the Arctic comes to Peterborough with a message you can’t ignore – PTBO Today
Sep 2, 2025
A new exhibit at the Art Gallery of Peterborough is bringing Inuit voices and Arctic stories to the city, aiming to shine a light on the urgent waste crisis in Panniqtuuq, Nunavut.
“Art + Waste in Panniqtuuq,” which opened on July 26, presents the work of Inuk artists Madeleine Aasivak Qumuataq, Jupa Ishulutak, Kawtysie Kakee, Annie Kilabuk (1932–2005), David Kilabuk, Talia Metuq, Oleepika Nashalik, and Malaya Pitsiulak, alongside settler artist and researcher Micky Renders. The exhibition blends art, politics, and activism to explore the impacts of settler colonialism, climate change, and industrial waste on the remote Arctic community of about 1,500 residents on the East Coast of Baffin Island. Through painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, tapestry, and digital media, the artists share personal and collective stories, providing a counter-narrative to common perceptions of Inuit life and environmental stewardship.
