Organized and circulated by the Ottawa Art Gallery, Dark Ice is an essential examination of the profound and drastic impact that climate change is already having on our varied ecosystems and how this impact is most evident in communities of the North.

The exhibition was conceived through the collaboration of artists Leslie Reid (Ottawa, ON) and Robert Kautuk (Kangiqtugaapik, Clyde River, NU).

Reid is an established painter and photographer who has conducted research in the Arctic through the Canadian Forces Artists Program and the Canada C3 expedition, while Kautuk’s artistic exploration includes the use of drone technology to capture aerial photographs and videos of his community. He works at the Ittaq Heritage and Research Centre and encourages Inuit-led research there.

Together, Reid and Kautuk’s research and visualizations foster diverse perspectives around climate change, offering a promising path forward in the face of global warming. The exhibition features photographs, paintings, and videos that centre Northern communities and landscapes as the first witnesses of climate change. Together in dialogue, these artists share perspectives and experiences, finding the common ground that carves out and shapes a path towards our shared future.