The land that used to be
Contemporary Art Gallery, Vancouver
February 2 - May 5 2024
The land that used to be features the new installation Qikuryuaq (Clay Hills), comprised of approximately 1,000 clay beads prepared by Gruben with the help of family and community members. The number of beads corresponds to Tuktoyaktuk’s population, while the clay they are made from, sourced from sites of coastal erosion on the nearby shores, alludes to the rapidly disappearing land. This erosion has reached a state of emergency; within thirty years it will necessitate the relocation of Tuktoyaktuk’s community inland. Qikuryuaq is accompanied in the exhibition by two works depicting handmade sleds. As they evoke movement across and around the territory, including the potential inland migration, they also echo the aspiration of Qikuryuaq to, in the artist’s words, “hold the land a little bit longer before it is gone.”