Inuit Stories Take Shape in Ningiukulu Teevee Exhibition at WAG-Qaumajuq

Press Release

Winnipeg, Manitoba, May 6, 2026: The Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG)-Qaumajuq is excited to announce the opening of Ningiukulu Teevee: Stories from the Arctic, a solo show featuring the work of one of Canada’s leading graphic art talents. Curated by Dr. Darlene Coward Wight, the exhibition includes nearly 60 artworks by the acclaimed Inuk artist, all from Presenting Sponsor Cholakis Dental Group’s Art in Practice collection.

The exhibition opens on May 6, 2026 at 7pm with a free celebration during WAG Wednesday Nights.

Based in Kinngait (Cape Dorset), Nunavut, Teevee is known for her vivid, playful interpretations of Inuit stories. Her drawings translate oral traditions into dynamic images that resonate far beyond the Arctic. The exhibition shares Teevee’s favourite subject matter, including Arctic animals, imaginative transformations, and traditional tales passed down through generations.

The award-winning artist has been celebrated internationally. In 2024, works from the Cholakis Dental Group collection were presented at Canada House in London, England, and her imagery is currently being projected onto the sails of the Sydney Opera House.

The Cholakis Dental Group’s Art in Practice collection is the largest corporate collection of Teevee’s work in the world. The Art in Practice collection serves as a model for the integration of art within healthcare settings.

Quick Facts:

• Ningiukulu Teevee: Stories from the Arctic presented by Cholakis Dental Group opens at WAG-Qaumajuq on May 6, 2026 at 7pm, and runs through winter 2026/27.
• The free opening celebration will take place during WAG Wednesday Nights (5-9pm), presented by Power Corporation of Canada, and will feature beats by DJ Zuki Selects through Sounds of Manitoba, sponsored by Leon A. Brown in honour of Ruth Anne Schnier.
• Curated by WAG-Qaumajuq Curator of Inuit Art, Dr. Darlene Coward Wight, Stories from the Arctic spans Teevee’s illustrious career, featuring close to 60 drawings and prints.
• All works are drawn from the Cholakis Dental Group Art in Practice collection, the largest corporate collection of Teevee’s work in the world.
• Teevee’s work explores Inuit storytelling through bold, contemporary compositions rooted in oral tradition.
• In 2023, Teevee was the recipient of the Inuit Art Foundation’s biennial Kenojuak Ashevak Memorial Award, thanks to the support of RBC Emerging Artists.
• Teevee’s work is included in major collections worldwide, including 47 artworks at WAG-Qaumajuq.
• The exhibition builds on a 2024 presentation at Canada House in London, England, which was in partnership with The High Commission of Canada.
• Programming includes tours, workshops, school visits, and family activities throughout the exhibition.
• A selection of Teevee’s works will be available through ShopWAG for a limited time.

Quotes:

“We are excited to present Ningiukulu Teevee: Stories from the Arctic and to highlight an internationally acclaimed Inuit artist. This exhibition speaks to the vision of Qaumajuq, to celebrate Inuit art and stories with the world. We thank Presenting Sponsor Cholakis Dental Group—in particular Dr. Ernest Cholakis—for making this important exhibition possible.”

— Bill Elliott, Deputy Director & CFO, WAG-Qaumajuq

“My work comes from stories that I have heard, that are unwritten, only spoken, and kept by few. The first storyteller that caught my attention was Mialia Jaw. She came to a classroom to tell her stories. Listening to her fed my imagination. It has led me to win the Inuit Art Foundation Kenojuak Ashevak Memorial Award and travel to places such as Sydney, Australia and London, England—exciting opportunities to learn, and teach those who want to learn.”

— Ningiukulu Teevee, Artist

“Cholakis Dental Group is proud to see our Art in Practice collection at WAG-Qaumajuq and to spotlight the incredibly talented artist Ningiukulu Teevee. Inuit art offers powerful insight into life in the North, fostering understanding and appreciation across cultures.”

—  Dr. Ernest Cholakis, Cholakis Dental Group, Presenting Sponsor

“Ningiukulu Teevee is a passionate chronicler of stories from the past and the present, which sometimes meet in her work in surprising ways. Her visual vocabulary combines a bold graphic style with narrative underpinnings of Inuit stories. This results in artworks that preserve a treasured history while forming a significant contribution to Canadian contemporary art.”

— Dr. Darlene Coward Wight, Curator of Inuit Art, WAG-Qaumajuq

Associated Links

Ningiukulu Teevee: Stories from the Arctic
Ningiukulu Teevee Wins 2023 Kenojuak Ashevak Memorial Award

Support

WAG-Qaumajuq is grateful to Cholakis Dental Group for their Presenting Sponsorship of Stories from the Arctic, and for sharing their Art in Practice collection for the exhibition. The Gallery thanks Leon A. Brown, for their Sounds of Manitoba sponsorship in honour of Ruth Anne Schnier, and Power Corporation of Canada, both of which contribute to the opening celebration.

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For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact:

Katryna Barske
Public Relations Officer
Winnipeg Art Gallery
204.789.1295
kbarske@wag.ca

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