Jan Gary and Debbie Brown: Ink Link
Ink Link: An Exploration of Japanese Influences on Inuit Art was curated by Centenary students Jan Gary and Debbie Brown. The exhibition brings together Inuit and Japanese prints from the Meadows Museum’s Permanent Collection while tying these two artistic communities together through their shared history. Artworks are hung in one of five sections: landscapes, storytelling, entertainment, dwellings, and symmetry, to bring attention to the way both cultures utilize subject matter in their art.
What inspired you to curate Ink Link?
Gary:
I love learning the history of indigenous cultures and studying their artistic practices. I had only recently learned that the Inuit people learned their printing practices from a European who learned it from the Japanese, and I feel it’s important that other people become aware of this string of events and the positive impact it had (and continues to have) on the tribe.
Brown:
I wanted to create a show from the Museum’s collection that had historical importance. After researching and finding out the story behind Inuit Woodblock Printmaking, I knew that this was something that needed to be shared.
What were some challenges you had to overcome while curating this exhibition?
Gary:
Having to compare two differing cultures and find relations between the two was difficult, but in the end, I’m satisfied with how it turned out. Having to choose from such a vast amount of works and narrow it down to a select few to fill the Project Gallery space was also difficult – some of the pieces are quite large.
Brown:
Because we were pulling from two diverse cultures, it was difficult to choose exactly what pieces from each culture had the strongest connections.
What was the research process for putting Ink Link together?
Gary:
We started studying up on who James Houston was and his impact on the Inuit people, and from there we began to pull pieces from both the Japanese and Inuit print collections in the archives and compared the techniques, materials used, and the subject matter throughout them. Overall, it was an interesting learning process that ultimately gave us a better understanding of the two cultures.
Brown:
We began researching the story of how the Inuit learned how to make woodblock prints. Once we did that, we began researching the context behind the prints. Context information for each piece in the exhibition can be found here.
What are you most proud of about this exhibition?
Gary:
I’d say I’m most proud of the information we were able to find and provide to not only Centenary students but also to community members who visit the exhibition.
Brown:
I am most proud of how we were able connect these two cultures in all sorts of diverse ways.
Which print stands out to you the most? Why?
Gary:
I think my favorite piece is Ptarmigan in the Snow because of its composition, color use, and texture. It’s so simple in a beautiful way and I love the way the blue sky flows across the page.
Brown:
I do not think I have a favorite print, but my favorite section of pieces is the wall of symmetry. There is something about it that just gives me the chills when looking at how oddly symmetrical these art works are.
What do you hope people take away from this exhibit?
Gary:
I hope that people gain a better understanding of how important it is and how much impact can be had when one culture is introduced to another.
Brown:
I hope that people will understand that cultures can have all sorts of connections even though they are not anywhere near each other.
Ink Link is on display at the Meadows Museum from January 17 - February 10, 2023.