In December 2024, then-US President-Elect Donald Trump expressed a desire to take over or buy Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland). In May 2025 the major exhibition Avatangiisit, which means “surroundings,” opened for the 30th anniversary of the Association of Artists in Greenland, KIMIK. Many artists in the exhibition reflected on the political situation. Here are five works that examine visual sovereignty during this time, highlighting the importance of Kalaallit telling their own stories.

Kalaallit Nunaat, Kalaallit Nunaat, Kalaallit Pigaat (2025)

“Kalaallit Nunaat, Kalaallit Pigaat” translates to “Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders”—stating that Kalaallit Nunaat is not for sale. This phrase is what hundreds of people shouted at what was probably the largest demonstration in the history of Kalaallit Nunaat. The demonstration took place in Nuuk in March 2025, with satellite demonstrations held in other towns.

Artist Miki Jacobsen immortalized the demonstration in this large-scale acrylic painting, done in heavy, dark colours. By portraying the back of everyone, Jacobsen seems to draw the viewer into being a part of the demonstration. It evokes a seriousness with the heavy colouring, yet the bright yellow light on the horizon gives me a sense of hope for a brighter future.

Avatangiisit (2025)

The work is called Avatangiisit (2025), which means “our surroundings and our environment.” Maria Panínguak’ Kjærulff explained to me that her surroundings continued to feel strange and distorted in the first half of 2025. In this piece, she has drawn a Jeff Koons Balloon Dog in gold—an iconic American art piece made in various versions. You can see reflections of the Danish and American flags in Kjærulff’s drawing of the dog, but the dog rests on Erfalasorput, the flag of Kalaallit Nunaat. The work satirizes the superficial way in which the US President has approached Kalaallit Nunaat in recent times.

Fuck Off I (2025)

In Buuti Pedersen’s watercolour Fuck Off I, there are two figures: the legendary figure in Kalaallit culture, Kaassassuk, an orphan who was teased and then eventually acquired superhuman abilities and took revenge on those who hurt him, and US President Donald Trump. In the work, Kaassassuk is a symbol of the underdog fighting for his own sovereignty. In the bottom left corner, you see an ugly brown mess, which refers to the American oil barrels left in abandoned military bases in Kalaallit Nunaat after World War II, polluting an otherwise beautiful arctic landscape.

Thread/threat and Stripes (2025)

Made in the colours of the American flag, this beaded necklace by Lisbeth Karline Poulsen may seem like a tribute on the surface. But when you look closer, you see it has no closing mechanism and must instead be pulled and tightened around the neck—and when you consider the title, it seems more like a warning. When you tighten something around your neck, even a  beautiful necklace, you have to be careful not to tighten it too much. The piece makes me think about the difficulties in finding the right balance when political alliances are negotiated.

If Greenland (2025)

In this watercolour, you see the head of a woman in the snow. She has red eyes, which are not lifeless, even though her head is detached. The artwork conveys a feeling of detachment and powerlessness, being alive but unable to move or react. A sentiment that many who were in Kalaallit Nunaat during the first month of 2025 can relate to. The beautiful bright and cold background is a striking contrast to the bloody head in the forefront. When I first saw this piece, I immediately understood the feeling. To me, this piece is an example of how important it is that Kalaallit get to express our own experiences.