Circumpolar Art
Between Two Worlds

Two artists, two horizons, a renewed perspective on contemporary Indigenous art at the McClure Gallery

Edited July 8, 2025

The McClure Gallery, in partnership with the Avataq Cultural Institute and the Sami Center for Contemporary Art (Sámi Dáiddaguovddáš – SDG), presents Vulge oaggut / Going fishing, an exhibition bringing together the works of Inuk artist ulivia uviluk and Sámi artist Laila Labba. This circumpolar exchange project began in the spring of 2024 with a joint residency in Ivujivik, Nunavik, followed by a stay in Sápmi, Norway. The exhibition, running from July 11 to August 8, 2025, opens with a vernissage on July 10 at 6 pm and features a button-making workshop with the artists on July 11 from 4 to 6 pm.

This circumpolar exchange project began in the spring of 2024 with a joint residency in Ivujivik, Nunavik, followed by a stay in Sápmi, Norway.

The works on display bear witness to a dialogue between two artistic practices deeply rooted in their respective Arctic heritages. The time spent exploring northern landscapes allowed the two artists to weave a creative and human connection, visible in the complementarity of their approaches. Laila Labba draws on both digital and traditional techniques to celebrate Sámi culture and nature, while ulivia uviluk combines film, beadwork, and writing to offer a singular Inuit perspective. Together, their creations offer a renewed and inspiring vision of contemporary Indigenous life.

ulivia uviluk (Olivia Lya Thomassie)

This project highlights the diversity and vitality of circumpolar artistic practices, while strengthening collaboration between the Visual Arts Centre, the Avataq Cultural Institute, and Aumaaggiivik, the Nunavik Arts Secretariat. This alliance has led to three major exhibitions and trilingual publications, as well as a touring program on the Island of Montreal.

ulivia uviluk (Olivia Lya Thomassie), originally from Kangirsuk, Nunavik, develops a multidisciplinary practice that includes film, beadwork, and writing. She notably wrote the artist profile on Tarqitamaat, acted in the series Épidémie and the play Aalaapi, and coordinated the Aukkauti project at Aaqsiiq. While film and performance remain central to her journey, she is now primarily dedicated to visual arts.

Laila Labba

Laila Labba, a contemporary Sámi artist and illustrator from Karasjok, Norway, works in analog and digital drawing, painting, and printmaking. Her art is deeply inspired by Sámi culture and nature. She holds a bachelor’s degree in illustration from the University of Huddersfield and a bachelor’s in cultural expressions and Indigenous arts from Sámi Allaskuvla in Kautokeino.

The Avataq Cultural Institute, founded in 1980 following the first Nunavik Elders’ Conference, is dedicated to preserving and promoting the Inuktitut language and the culture of Nunavimmiut. It is committed to conserving, documenting, and sharing Nunavik’s artworks, archives, and archaeological collections for the benefit of present and future generations.

The Sámi Dáiddaguovddáš, located in Karasjok, Norway, is a cultural centre with a gallery, publishing program, digital lab, and artist residency program. It is at the heart of the Northern Sámi parliamentary seat and also houses the Sámi museum, the Sámi broadcasting society, and Davvi Girji, the largest Sámi-language publishing house. This project is supported by the Conseil des arts de Montréal as part of the La Route de l’art program.

‘Thanks to its educational mission and community outreach, the McClure Gallery fosters exchange, reflection, and engagement with the pressing issues of today’s society.’

The Visual Arts Centre and the McClure Gallery hold an essential place in Montreal’s art scene. A true crossroads for creation, dissemination, and education, the McClure Gallery is committed to promoting contemporary art in all its forms, offering an inclusive program that values both emerging and established artists. Through its educational mission and openness to the community, it fosters exchange, reflection, and engagement with the pressing issues of today’s society. With a rich history and a spirit of collaboration, the McClure Gallery continues to inspire, unite, and support the vitality of the visual arts while remaining an accessible, welcoming, and stimulating space for all.