The art historian spotlights works by Inuit artists who help put the rich history of the Arctic and our current era into perspective.

Coinciding with The New York Public Library's exhibition The Awe of the Arctic: A Visual History, a 500-year survey of how explorers and artists have depicted the Arctic, Claire Foussard—one of the United States' foremost advocates for contemporary Inuit art—examines the evolving ways visual art is used to maintain tradition and how it relates to our current understanding of the Arctic.

Foussard will discuss with arts administrator Wililam Huffman how cultural institutions are working with Indigenous artists to share cultural knowledge and reshape public discourse.

To join | Please register for an In-Person Ticket. Doors will open around 1:30 PM. For free events, we generally overbook to ensure a full house. Priority will be given to those who have registered in advance, but registration does not guarantee admission. All registered seats are released shortly before start time, and seats may become available at that time. A standby line will form 30 minutes before the program.

VISIT THE EXHIBITION

The Awe of the Arctic: A Visual History
Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
March 15–July 13, 2024

Discover extraordinary artwork, photographs, prints, and historic materials—drawn almost exclusively from the rich collections of The New York Public Library—that tell the story of how the Arctic has been visually depicted, defined, and imagined over the past 500 years. The presentation ranges from 16th-century explorers who attempted to capture the perceived strangeness of a remote region to contemporary artists whose work conveys the human impact on its changing climate and vulnerable landscape. Learn more.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Claire Foussard is a New York City based curator, writer, and one of the United States' foremost advocates for contemporary Inuit art. In her three years as the director of a small gallery with locations in Harlem and the East Village, Foussard collaborated with dozens of emerging artists to share their multimedia exhibitions and publications with NYC's next generation of art collectors. She holds a dual bachelor degree in art history and anthropology from Colgate University, and an MA in Art Business from Sotheby's Institute of Art. She has collaborated with Kinngait Studios and the West Baffin Co-operative since her 2017 research and curatorial residency, and she continues to produce significant scholarship and exhibitions highlighting the ingenuity and resilience of Inuit artists in living and working in the Canadian Arctic since the mid-20th century.

William Huffman is an arts administrator, curator, educator, and writer with a history of extensive involvement on both local and international cultural fronts. He was Executive Director with Inuit Art Foundation, Coordinator of the Audience and Market Development Office at Canada Council for the Arts, Associate Director with Toronto Arts Council, and has held other leadership positions at a number of Canadian cultural institutions. He is currently General Manager at West Baffin Cooperative, working between its Kinngait (Nunavut) and Toronto offices. His recent curatorial projects include many national international traveling exhibitions, and in 2023 Huffman was appointed Commissioner for the Canadian Pavilion at the Gwangju Biennale in the Republic of Korea.

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ACCESSIBILITY

In-Person | You can request a free ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation or CART (Communication Access Real-Time Translation) captioning service by emailing your request at least two weeks in advance of the event: email accessibility@nypl.org or use this Gmail template. This venue is fully accessible to wheelchairs.

CONNECT

For questions and inquiries, please email publicprograms@nypl.org or use this Gmail template.

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Courtesy Claire Foussard
Courtesy William Huffman