As a longtime employee of Cape Dorset's renowned printmaking studio, Kavavaow Mannomee has translated the drawings of some of northern Canada's most renowned artists into limited edition stonecut prints and lithographs. Now, 30 years after he began this work, it is Mannomee's own drawings and singular vision that are attracting the contemporary art world's attention.

MSG is pleased and proud to present Kavavaow Mannomee: Drawings, an exhibition featuring 28 of the artist's new and recent works on paper. At once whimsical and powerful, Mannomee's delicately rendered images address themes ranging from environmental degradation and the negative effects of alcohol abuse to the mysterious attractions of the natural world.

Kavavaow Mannomee: Drawings is part of a series of exhibitions commemorating the 50th anniversary of printmaking in Cape Dorset. It is the artist's first solo show on the West Coast.

Click here to view exhibition >>

Modern Inuit drawing initially evolved as a means of generating archives of imagery that could be used in the production of limited edition northern prints. While much of this imagery can be considered traditional both in terms of form and subject matter, a number of northern artists have recently started to push beyond the boundaries of conventional graphic representation, opening up previously unexplored regions of expression.

Opening July 18, Extreme Drawing will offer an uncensored look at the work of six contemporary artists whose work explores the outer and inner reaches of artistic creation. The exhibition will feature works by Arnaqu Ashevak, Shuvinai Ashoona, Siassie Kenneally, Kavavaow Mannomee and Jutai Toonoo, all artists from Cape Dorset. Also included are images by Kugaaruk's Nick Sikkuark. As the exhibition will reveal, the work of each artist can be seen to be testing the established limits of representation, whether formally, thematically or both.

Click here to read more >>

Extreme Drawing is presented in conjunction with Drawn / Artists and Drawings / Vancouver 2009, Metro Vancouver’s inaugural festival of contemporary drawing. For more information and festival details, visit drawnfestival.ca or click on logo.