Laakkuluk Williamson

Laakkuluk Williamson is an established multi-disciplinary artist based in Iqaluit, NU whose practice centres on uaajeerneq (Greenlandic mask dance) and also includes acting, curating, drum-dancing, music and writing. Through her artistic work, Williamson advocates for gender equality in creative spaces, decolonizing museum spaces and supporting Indigenous political voices. She is also the Artistic Director of Qaggiavuut Society for Nunavut Performing Arts.

As an uaajeerneq (Greenlandic mask dancer), Williamson performs highly stylized dances that address four themes including: humility, sex, fear and humour. Her performances function as education tools for children and adults alike and examine the limits of human experience and the transcendence of body. Her video and performance work has also been featured in numerous exhibitions including the nationally touring group exhibition #callresponse. Williamson is also a frequent collaborator of Tanya Tagaq, performing uaajeerneq in the latter’s Retribution music video in 2016.

Williamson is also a prolific writer and her poetry has been included in several publications including the spring 2016 issue of the Inuit Art Quarterly on climate which featured Tallurutiup Tariunga. Recently, Williamson worked with a team of Inuit curators at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto on the exhibition Tunirrusiangit: Kenojuak Ashevak and Tim Pitsiulak.