Inuit Artist Peter Irniq to Visit Ames; Locations Announced for Three Stone Landmarks

The City of Ames’ Public Art Commission welcomes internationally recognized artist and Inuit cultural teacher Peter Irniq to Ames this month to share his passion and expertise through the making of three stone landmarks called inuksuk.

An inuksuk (or plural “inuksuit”) is a stone monument constructed for the purpose of navigation by the Inuit people of northern Canada. Inuksuit designate good hunting or fishing areas, mark trails, and serve as a point of reference for travelers. In Ames, Irniq will be working at sites selected at Emma McCarthy Lee Park, Ada Hayden Heritage Park, and Brookside Park to place his stone sculptures. Unlike native inuksuit construction, Irniq will be ensuring the stability and durability of the Ames monuments by assembling them with mortar.

Irniq was born in 1947 in Lyon Inlet near Repulse Bay, Northwest Territories. He is a former Commissioner of Nunavut, an Inuit cultural teacher and an artist. He has lived most of his life in Nunavut, though he has also lived in the West Arctic (Northwest Territories), Manitoba, and Ontario.

“Peter Irniq enjoys the opportunity to share his culture with others, so he looks forward to the public observing him at work,” said Public Art Commissioner Jeff Angelo. “His visit represents another opportunity to promote both art and education in our community.”

Members of the Public Art Commission are appointed by the Mayor for the purpose of establishing public art philosophy and developing a public art plan for the City of Ames. Among other duties, the commission is charged with developing educational and promotional projects for public arts programming.

The last public art project the Commission spearheaded was “Restless by Nature,” the Patrick Dougherty environmental sculpture made from willow saplings at Ada Hayden Heritage Park. That sculpture will be decommissioned later this fall.