For the art exhibition The Ocean, NUKIGA has asked Greenlandic artists and artisans to interpret ‘The Ocean’ as a theme. The exhibition will be a travelling exhibition to be shown both in Denmark and in Greenland, starting at the Greenlandic National Day 21 June 2023, in Vejle, Denmark.
With this exhibition, we want to show what modern Greenlandic art is as well as the versatility of the Greenlandic art scene. It is also our ambition to contribute to giving Greenlandic artists better access to the professional art market to make it possible for more artists to live from their art.
Calendar: Check our calendar to see when the exhibition will be in your town.
Educational material. For approx. 5th to 10th grade: Click here to download material for teaching or as a starting point for a conversation with your child.
Greenlandic artict Aka Høegh has made this litography especially for the art exhibition.
The theme ‘The Ocean’
The ocean unites us and separates us. The ocean gives life and takes life.
The ocean has always been of great importance to us humans. Greenland is surrounded by ocean, and the ocean is crucial to Inuit, who have always lived off the ocean. The ocean has played a decisive role in the fact that man has been able to travel long distances. The ocean is still to this day one of the preferred routes when visiting each other in Greenland. Shipping and fishing are also still crucial for Greenlandic society, both nationally and internationally.
The deepest parts of the ocean floor is one of the few areas on Earth we have yet to explore. The ocean separates continents and countries but is also the link between them. It is linked to international politics and power struggles. The ocean is also a vulnerable ecosystem that is affected by human lifestyles. The ice is melting, and the world’s oceans are rising. It affects life everywhere on the planet.
The ocean has always been perceived as a mysterious and alluring place, and many myths and legends are about the ocean. The myth of The Ocean Mother is one of the most well-known and beloved Greenlandic legends. The ocean is a space for dreams and fantasies and draws us in all its mystery.
The ocean is at same time a concrete reality, a livelihood, a link, but also a mysterious no man’s land linked to the mythical. The ocean is freedom to be able to travel, the ocean gives us food – but the ocean can also be a limitation and a scary place. A place not everyone comes home from.
