As Navigator Inn in Iqaluit demolished, new home sought for building's artist mural
A mural of Susan Aningmiuq has been displayed on the North side of the Navigator Inn since the summer of 2008, but now it needs a new home.
Workers began demolishing the building on Friday and it will be completely down before the end of the month.
The Navigator began as a one-room restaurant, built in the early 1970s, but it has reached the "end of its useful life" according the Northview Apartment REIT, and needs to come down for safety reasons.
The lounge, known as the "Chartroom," was originally reserved for hotel guests, but it became one of the most popular places in town.
'Nunavut's favourite artists'
The mural was the idea of the Alianait Arts Festival, spearheaded by Heather Daley, the outgoing executive director of the festival.
When it was hung, Alianait had a press conference to unveil the mural. Aningmiuq's family came down from Pangnirtung, Nunavut, and it was an emotional tribute, Daley said.
"People love this mural and loved Susa Aningmiuq, I wish I'd known her, she was performing before I was here, but I've heard many of her songs."
Susan — or Susa as she was sometimes known — Aningmiuq sang in a duo with her husband Peter Etulu Aningmiuq starting in the 1980s.
The project started with the mural across from the court house — now beside the Aquatics Centre.
"Because we knew that that building might eventually get torn down, we thought we should do something more portable, that then could move if need be. And we decided to do murals of three of Nunavut's favourite late artists," Daley said.
Alianait partnered with Inuksuk High School's art and music students to paint murals of Aningmiuq, Charlie Adams and Jimmy Ekho.
The murals were gifted to local businesses who wanted to mount them, so the mural technically belongs to Northview, which has owned the Navigator since 2011.
Daley is asking any business interested in mounting the mural to call the Alianait office. She says she'd love for Alianait to coordinate creating more murals around town as well, if an art class is interested.
