Alicia Semigak is a multidisciplinary Inuk artist based in Saint John, NB, with family ties to Nunatsiavut. Semigak’s main artistic medium is sewing, but she also paints with watercolours and collages. Her artwork tends to examine identity and activism, as well as reflecting her experience as a displaced Inuk.
Semigak has been sewing since she was a teenager, teaching herself how to sew on a machine and by hand. In 2022 she attended the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design, where she studied Foundation Visual Arts and learned from local artists. Much of her work is inspired by her feeling of being disconnected from Inuit culture. “A lot of my art kind of feels like myself connecting or reconnecting to a part of me that I didn’t really get to know until I became older,” [1] she says. Her siblings, artists Mikak Semigak-Justason and Maisyn Semigak are a significant part of Semigak’s artistic process. “I feel like we all draw a little bit of inspiration from each other…almost like a collective.”
Alternative subculture is another source of inspiration for Semgiak. “In alternative communities, I feel like there is a space for everyone.” A key element of Semigak’s practice is reclaiming power, which she does by making garters and harnesses, some of her favourite items to make. Creating these garments, which are typically seen in relation to the sexualization of women and the male gaze, is an act of autonomy for Semigak, a reframing of the narrative. “I’m making the choice to be vulnerable with my representation of my sexuality and body…I enjoy making them [garters and harnesses] for myself.” Inspired by Germaine Arnaktauyok’s work depicting traditional Inuit tattoos, particularly Tattoo Lady (1999), Semigak created a garter that looks like kakiniit, made out of black elastic. “It’s so simple and I like how much creativity you can put into it,” she says about working with the material. Semigak is also inspired by fashion designer Vivienne Westwood’s bold, activist designs.
Semigak’s watercolour and collage work, in contrast, is softer in colour. The collage Homecoming // Torngat Mountains (2023) is composed of various photographs of muted purple and red florals and landscapes. These elements are arranged around a blank space to create a skull, with text cut outs creating the eye sockets, nose and mouth.
In the future, Semigak would like to learn traditional tattooing practices and also become more involved in the fashion industry. Currently working for local clothing business Beck and Boyd, which does screenprinting, she is gaining an understanding of both the business and creative sides of the industry.