An upcoming photography exhibit will provide an intimate glimpse of what often seems nearly impossible to imagine – living in the Canadian Arctic.
The exhibition, titled Under the Same Stars, by Alaskan-born photographer Acacia Johnson, focuses on the cultures and communities of Arctic Bay, Nunavut.
Open April 22-24, at Constitution Square Lobby – located on Albert Street – it shows the deep connections people have with the land as well as the shared experiences that unite circumpolar communities across the globe.
“I always want my photos to inspire people to care about the Arctic and gain a new found interest in it,” says Johnson. She also adds that it is important to “understand that this is a place that people live and have lived for thousands of years.”
The glowing moonlight-lit images are a selection of photographs from Johnson’s four-month residency –supported by Fulbright Canada – in one of the northernmost communities on the north shore of Baffin Island.
Looking to immerse herself in an Indigenous culture to gain a perspective on the human connection to the Artic landscape, Johnson decided on Arctic Bay as her destination because she felt, especially in the United States, that not many people were aware of the Artic Bay.
“Most people who I would talk to about my idea would have no idea what or where Nunavut even was.”
Under the Same Stars will also be celebrating the launch of the new Fulbright Arctic Initiative.
Through the program, Fulbright, which provides scholarships and educational exchanges between the U.S. and Canada, is bringing together scholars and researchers from different disciplines and nations to find solutions to challenges that affect Arctic communities.
“Our goal is to focus on the land and the people that live in the north,” says Michael Hawes, CEO of Fulbright Canada.
“The (exhibit) is really a study of northern people and I hope it reminds us that much of this is about the people.”
Before venturing off into the Arctic last November, for its coldest darkest season, Johnson’s original idea was to photograph landscapes historically and culturally important to people.
However, she found the photos she took looked like “generic pretty, snowy landscapes.” She eventually realized “that the heart of the arctic is the people that live there.”
So, Johnson refocused her large-format film camera, pointing her lens instead towards portraiture and people interacting with their settings.
“There’s such an interesting mix of old and new, traditional and modern,” says Johnson, adding that while you would find hunters going out on dogsleds, you would also have everybody on Facebook.
Many other organizations, including the Canadian Museum of Nature, have also been promoting research and working to change perspectives on the Arctic.
“I do see there is an evolution of interest in the Arctic,” says Heidi Langille, a co-ordinator with Ottawa Inuit Children’s Centre, noting the growing awareness of climate change as an influence in addition to more Inuit people openly talking about their culture and successfully bringing it to the rest of Canada.
“Inuit have not only survived but thrived,” says Langille.
While a rising interest in the Arctic has more researchers, organizations and artists try to offer a greater picture of the far north, Johnson admits, that not every experience of the Arctic can be captured in a photograph, “but of course that’s what I strive to do.”