Much like her printwork, Hannah Kigusiuq’s drawings are densely populated graphic portraits of the people in her community of Qamani’tuaq. Untitled (Scenes of the Community) offers a different sense of visual narrative, with multiple scenes pieced together on the page, flowing into and over one another. The upper half of the sheet is peaceful, showing people out for a stroll and neighbours chatting as they pass.

The lower half depicts the bustle of community life. On the left, a man laments his predicament, saying, “ᐊᒪᒃᕈ ᓇᓗᓗ ᑕᒃᓇ” (“Now just to catch this wolf”), while others gesture toward him and the animal. On the right, a woman tends to a child, perhaps while entertaining the small group of children gathered around her. Restlessness soon takes over, and some begin to distract and bother one another. As two children fight, one is caught off guard and demands, “ᐊᐊ ᓱᐱ?” (“Ouch! What are you doing?”). At the centre of the lower half, a final figure remains oblivious to the commotion, identified by the descriptive caption “ᐃᕐᒥ ᑕᑐᖅ” (“He is getting water”).

First Arts extends gratitude to Veronica Puskas and Silas Aqna’naaq for their assistance in cataloguing this lot.