Bronson Jacque: Indigenous Renaissance Man

Read this article in Inuktitut.
To see more of Jacque’s artwork, visit his artist site.

Bronson Jacque, a young Inuit painter from Postville, Nunatsiavut, NL, is about to experience a first in his career: having his work exhibited in an art museum dedicated to the art and culture of Inuit from Canada and beyond.

Qaumajuq (pronounced KOW-ma-yourq or HOW-ma-yourk) is the world’s first art museum dedicated to Inuit art and culture. Connected to the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG), Qaumajuq’s first exhibition INUA brings together more than 90 Inuit artists from across Canada.

Opening in 2021, the exhibit will feature a diptych (a pair of paintings hinged together) by Jacque.

Currently a student at Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University and a Contributing Editor at the Inuit Art Foundation, Jacque grew up in a family filled with artists. After a stint working in construction, he found his true path was expressing the world he saw around him through his art.

Image: Uncle Doug’s Wharf (2019), © Bronson Jacque

Q: How did growing up in a family of artists shape your worldview?

Jacque: Coming from an artistic family, I was always encouraged to create. My father would always tell me that the most fulfilling work you can do is make things with your hands. I watched family members make things like parkas, mitts, and carvings and it inspired me. Art is an expression of culture.

Q: What are you trying to say or do with your art?

Jacque: My main goal is to tell the stories of people from the places where I grew up. I’m really interested in showing an authentic part of someone or an intimate view of a place. I wanted my art to tell the story of our lives.

Q: What inspired you to create your series showing the work of carpenters, ironworkers, and surveyors?

Jacque: I worked in construction for a little over four years as a general labourer and got to meet a bunch of different trade workers — from scaffolders to concrete workers. I spent time with them individually, got to know them, and wanted to tell their story.

During those four years, I was also really questioning myself. I was making good money, but I was not happy. I realized that I was working towards something that went against my values. I have one more piece in that series which will be shown at INUA that addresses those complex feelings. It’s a diptych painting that depicts the tension in our communities when we’re forced to do things that go against our reverence for the environment.

When I was working in construction, there were a lot of people from my community defending the land against development. The land was taken from us hundreds of years ago. Then some of us were being employed to exploit that land years later. It’s a very strange dynamic to have to make a living doing something that’s destroying your way of life. But there are few other financial opportunities in our region. It’s a really powerless feeling and I tried to capture that in my piece.

Image: Heritage Dog Team Race (2019), © Bronson Jacque

Q: How do you feel about the Indigenous Renaissance taking place across Canada?

Jacque: There’s definitely an Indigenous Renaissance taking place, and it’s not just in the art world. I’m also seeing it in communities. I see so many Indigenous people making efforts to reclaim their history. I’ve recently done a painting based on that called The Journey Home. It’s great to see so many young people who are really proud of who they are. The Indigenous Renaissance is so important because it strengthens our communities and helps reduce that feeling of not knowing where you belong, of displacement.

Q: What do you like about working for the Inuit Art Foundation?

Jacque: I work as a Contributing Editor for Inuit Art Foundation and do things like edit profiles, conduct interviews, transcribe interviews, among many other things. It’s been great because it’s given me the opportunity to talk to other Inuit artists and hear their stories and help them tell their stories.

With the support of RBC Foundation, Inuit Art Foundation has been able to scale the programming, mentorship and other profile and developmental opportunities to emerging Inuit artists to increase their visibility and expand their careers. Bronson’s journey illustrates the success that is possible and we’re delighted that IAF and our supporters can play a role in furthering their reach to new audiences worldwide. Alysa Procida, Executive Director at Inuit Art Foundation.

Q: What does it mean to you to be featured in the opening exhibit at Qaumajuq?

Jacque: Being featured is a huge honor. It’s my first time being featured in any sort of gallery setting. Having my work featured alongside countless talented artists is something that I cannot begin to express my gratitude for.

Q: What advice do you have for other young Indigenous artists?

Jacque: Don’t just do the things that you think are marketable. Don’t do things that you feel people want to see. Do the things that you feel are worth being shown. If you feel like something is worth putting time into — then it’s worth being put down on paper or carved into stone or put into song or poetry. If it’s a valuable thing to you, if it’s authentic and true — it’s going to be worth it.