Shimmering Light, Radical Joy: National Gallery of Canada unveils Qillaniq--The world's largest Indigenous circumpolar art exhibition

OTTAWA, ON, June 10, 2026 /CNW/ - From June 12 to September 20, 2026, the National Gallery of Canada (NGC) presents Qillaniq, a groundbreaking exhibition devoted entirely to contemporary artists from the circumpolar Arctic region. Featuring more than 80 works of art by more than 70 artists, Qillaniq marks the largest circumpolar exhibition ever assembled, shattering expectations and redefining global contemporary art.

The exhibition's title, Qillaniq (pronounced qeel-lah-NEEQ) is an Inuktitut word describing the way light from the sun or moon shimmers brightly as it reflects on water. This powerful concept serves as a metaphor for the "shine" of circumpolar Indigenous Peoples resisting colonization, maintaining their deep connection to the land, and using art to bring the extraordinary into everyday life.

"While the global gaze often fixes on the Arctic through a lens of crisis and geopolitical urgency, Qillaniq enters this moment differently," said Jean-François Bélisle, Director and CEO, NGC. "This historic exhibition does not ask permission to exist in the present tense--it insists on it. Following the legacies of Sakahàn and Àbadakone, it is a profound privilege for the National Gallery of Canada to present a project of this scale, complexity and international ambition. It invites us to engage with the Arctic as a living, thinking and generative space. We are deeply grateful to the all-Indigenous curatorial team and participating artists whose vision, intellectual rigour, and creative force highlight how contemporary Indigenous art is shaping global cultural dialogues."

"Qillaniq is a landmark moment for the National Gallery of Canada, bringing together the most expansive collection of circumpolar Indigenous works ever mounted. Grounded in years of deep relationship-building across the Arctic, this exhibition is an expression of radical joy and a celebration of 'badass' artists who challenge colonizing norms. In these fraught times, as the Arctic faces climate change and geopolitical upheaval, these incredible Inuit, First Nations, Sámi, and Native Alaskan artists remind us of the power of kinship. Their voices are courageous, bold, and revelatory--showing us that even in the face of difficulty, artists will always guide us toward that shimmering light," said Steven Loft, Michelle LaVallee, and Reneltta Arluk, Indigenous Ways and Decolonization management team at the NGC.

"Qillaniq is a powerful reminder of how art carries culture and connection, across generations," said Robyn Small, Senior Manager, Philanthropy, Sustainability & Corporate Citizenship, TD Bank Group. "At TD, we're proud to support the National Gallery of Canada in creating space for artists from Indigenous communities to share their stories in their own voices, and to bring more people into that experience."

Breaking the "Museum mould"

Curated by an all-Indigenous international team from the circumpolar world, Qillaniq rejects rigid institutional traditions in favour of an improvisational, multidisciplinary approach that honours living artists. The exhibition functions as both a vessel and a body, allowing visitors to experience an interconnected, fluid Arctic world where art transcends modern geopolitical borders--stretching seamlessly across Alaska, Inuit Nunaat (Inuit), Sápmi (Sámi), and Denendeh (Dene).

The curatorial team is comprised of:

• Jocelyn Piirainen (Inuk), an urban Inuk and curator from Iqaluktuuttiaq, Nunavut, Associate Curator, and Ooleepeeka Eegeesiak (Inuk/qallunaaq), an Inuk/qallunaaq born in Iqaluit, Nunavut, Curatorial Assistant, both from the Indigenous Ways and Decolonization Department at the NGC;
  
  and guest curators:
  
  
• Liisa-Rávná Finbog (Sámi), Sámi scholar, duojár, writer and curator from Oslo/Vaapste/ Skánit, Sápmi, on the Norwegian side of the border;
• Nadia Jackinsky-Sethi (Alutiiq), art historian, museum consultant and author based in Kachemak Bay, Alaska;
• Taqralik Partridge (Inuk) writer, spoken word poet and curator originally from Kuujjuaq, Nunavik, QC, now living in Ottawa; and
• Laakkuluk Williamson (Kalaaleq - Greenlandic Inuk) performance artist, poet, actor, curator, storyteller and writer. Lives and works in Iqaluit.

The participating artists represent a rich tapestry of cultures, including the Gwich'in, Inuvialuit, Sugpiat, and other northern Indigenous Nations, united in a fierce celebration of Arctic and Indigenous sovereignty.

Qillaniq spotlights internationally renowned voices, including Maureen Gruben (Inuvialuk), Billy Gauthier (Inuk), Viktor Iadne (Nenets), Jouni Laiti (Sámi), Bolatta Silis-Høegh (Greenlandic), Krystle Silverfox (Northern Tutchone), and Ningiukulu Teevee (Inuk).

"Qillaniq is an expression of radical joy, an exploration of what the artists tell us is possible in our communities, of holding space for people who change our world--despite not always fitting into the norms of colonizing institutions. It is a celebration of those that share love as an answer to difficulty. These artists are at the forefront of the global contemporary art scene," said the curatorial team. "Qillaniq, that shimmering on the water, that bright light honours the circumpolar world's badass artists that tell us all that our existence is enough."

A monumental North American debut and new commissions

The works celebrated in the exhibition are multi-vocal, multidisciplinary and improvisational, inspired by values of Indigenous Peoples contributing to community as many ways as possible. They are blending intergenerational legacies with cutting-edge media to command the world's attention.

Visitors will engage with an expansive variety of media, including drawing, print, painting, video, installation, sculpture, and performance art.

In a monumental moment for the international art community, Máret Ánne Sara's iconic installation, Pile o´Sápmi Supreme (2017), will make its first-ever appearance in North America, offering a profound and challenging exploration of Sápmi rights.

The exhibition will also debut eight newly commissioned works created specifically for Qillaniq.

Defiance and love

Qillaniq highlights the central role of identity in building a collective future. Through themes of connectedness, relocation, adoption, subsistence, climate change, activism, and the vibrant celebration of Indigenous queerness, Qillaniq proves that resistance and solidarity are necessary ingredients for joy. It is a luminous, triumphant celebration of survival, proving that contemporary Arctic culture is not just surviving--it is thriving with love, creativity, and unstoppable momentum.

Public programs

To further enrich the visitor experience, the National Gallery of Canada is offering a series of public programs providing deeper insight into Qillaniq. Including curatorial tours, in-gallery artist spotlight talks, catalogue launch, film screenings, Free Thursday Art making, Open studio family programs and artist-led workshops. For more details, check out the 'Upcoming Events' section on the exhibition page at gallery.ca.

Catalogue

The exhibition is accompanied by a richly illustrated catalogue. With essays by 24 contributors from the circumpolar region and reproductions of works by artists featured in the exhibition, this 262-page publication celebrates the circumpolar North as it truly is, rather than how the South might want or perceive it to be. Available now in the Gallery Boutique and online.

Qillaniq is organized by the National Gallery of Canada, with thanks to Lead Sponsor TD Bank Group, and is generously supported by the National Gallery of Canada Foundation, with the valued support of the Global Arctic Leadership Initiative at Global Affairs Canada, and Supporting Sponsor Armstrong Fine Art Services. The Gallery also thanks Curating Indigenous Circumpolar Cultural Sovereignty (CICCS), a York University-based research project funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Additionally, the Gallery is grateful for the collaboration of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark, the Embassy of Finland, Ottawa, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway, and the Embassy of Sweden to Canada.

Return of the Canada Strong Pass

To ensure its world-class exhibitions are accessible to all, the National Gallery of Canada is thrilled to reintroduce the Canada Strong Pass. Starting June 19, 2026, this pass grants visitors under 24 free admission or reduced prices to the Gallery's collections and exhibitions, making it the perfect companion for a summer of culture in the capital.

About the National Gallery of Canada

Founded in 1880, the National Gallery of Canada is among the world's most respected art institutions. As a national museum, we exist to serve all Canadians, no matter where they live. We do this by sharing our collection, exhibitions and public programming widely. We create dynamic experiences that allow for new ways of seeing ourselves and each other through the visual arts, while centering Indigenous ways of knowing and being. Our mandate is to develop, preserve and present a collection for the learning and enjoyment of all--now and for generations to come. We are home to more than 90,000 works, including one of the finest collections of Indigenous and Canadian art, major works from the 14^th to the 21^st century and extensive library and archival holdings. Our dazzling, light-filled building is situated on the unceded traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe Nation, in Ottawa.

Ankosé  –  Everything is connected – Tout est relié   

SOURCE National Gallery of Canada

For all media requests, please contact: Josée-Britanie Mallet, Senior Media and Public Relations Officer, National Gallery of Canada, [email protected]; Pénélope Carreau, Public Relations Officer, National Gallery of Canada, [email protected]