As National Indigenous History Month prompts reflection on the art and histories of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples, York University's Joan and Martin Goldfarb Gallery is expanding access to one of the country’s most focused collections of Inuit prints and stone carvings.
With more than 300 works spanning early Kinngait (formerly known as Cape Dorset) printmaking to contemporary sculpture, the gallery’s permanent collection offers York community members and the public a rare chance to engage directly with the evolving story of Indigenous art.
This year, the gallery is taking further steps to connect the wider community with these works. A newly launched online database now allows users to explore most of the collection from anywhere, while expanded programming – including public tours and educational events – invites deeper engagement. “It’s very intuitive, and we have a lot of images – and while not every piece has been photographed yet, the majority are available to view,” says Jenifer Papararo, the gallery’s director and curator.
The origins of the University’s Inuit art collection date to 1969, when it acquired a sculpture in black stone, ivory and leather by Margaret Uyauperq Aniksak, an acclaimed artist from Arviat, Nunavut. This initial acquisition marked the beginning of a significant commitment to Inuit art.
The collection expanded rapidly in the early 1970s, with the University acquiring more than 300 prints and stone carvings produced by artists from the Kinngait Co-operative, including works by Pitseolak Ashoona, Kenojuak Ashevak, Johnny Inukpuk and Qaqaq (Kaka) Ashoona. Many of these pieces reflect the thriving artistic communities of Canada’s north and the pivotal role of artist co-operatives in the development of Inuit art. The Hudson’s Bay Company, through its trading posts and partnerships, also played a central part in bringing Inuit carvings to southern audiences, shaping the early market for these works.
In recent decades, York’s collection has expanded through significant donations from longtime supporters Joan and Martin Goldfarb, who contributed sculptures by artists such as David Ruben Piqtoukun, David General and Abraham Anghik Ruben. These newer acquisitions were featured in the inaugural exhibition at the gallery’s new facilities, which opened in autumn 2024. The gallery has also added important works by Carl Beam, purchased in 2004 and first exhibited as part of the “From the Visible Vault” series during the same season.
Complementing the gallery’s digital initiatives, the Visible Vault (now with a second installation) – introduced as part of the expansion – offers students and faculty the opportunity to engage directly with the artworks for research and teaching. This approach allows the collection to serve not only as an exhibition resource, but also as a living archive for scholarship and creative practice.
The Goldfarb Gallery’s approach to collecting and exhibiting Indigenous art is shaped by ongoing relationships with artists. Papararo points to a recent acquisition by Lori Blondeau, who gathered stones from beneath the site of the gallery’s new building before construction began. Blondeau’s practice often involves collecting stones as a way of honouring the histories of a place. The largest of these stones, first shown in her “Plains Horizon” exhibition last year, now sit on the gallery’s grounds as a marker of the land’s long Indigenous stewardship.
For National Indigenous History Month, the gallery’s programming also includes Andrea Carlson’s exhibition “A Painting is a Coin / Tisigan aawi zhoonyaa-waabik,” and “When Water Embraces Empty Space,” a solo show by Vietnamese American artist Tuấn Andrew Nguyễn. Nguyễn’s exhibition follows the story of a historic canoe taken from the Indigenous people of Luf Island, Papua New Guinea, and its significance to their descendants.
“We want to show that Indigenous art is not a single story,” Papararo says. “It’s many stories, connected by history, land and ongoing practice.”
Visit The Goldfarb Gallery's complete online collection.