Putting Down Tent – Alien Tuqitiqtut

Description

‘Putting Down Tent – Alien Tuqitiqtut’ by Shuvinai Ashoona is a 2026 coloured pencil and acrylic pen drawing where a simple camp moment turns into a lively, imaginative scene shared with Shuvinai Ashoona’s playful alien visitors.

Condition – No condition noted. Paper surface appears clean and stable.

Description by Artist – Titled and annotated by the artist, with English and Inuktitut syllabics written across the central figure: ‘APUTI / Snow’, ‘QANIK / Falling Snow’, ‘PUJUT / Mist’, ‘WHITE TOP AT SEA’.

Notes from DaVic Gallery – This drawing is one of those Shuvinai moments where everyday camp life gets filtered through her imagination and comes out wonderfully surreal. At first glance, the scene looks chaotic — creatures tangled together, a tent folding down, a strawberry‑headed runner — but once you slow down and follow the shapes, the title starts to make perfect sense.

Alongside all this action, Shuvinai adds her “alien tuqitiqtut” — a term that, in Inuktitut, refers to beings that aren’t from here, visitors from somewhere else. She often uses them in a playful way, imagining aliens as curious helpers who wander into everyday moments. And honestly, they fit this scene perfectly. Anyone who has ever taken down a tent in windy weather knows how chaotic it gets — canvas flapping, poles shifting, people grabbing whatever they can. In Shuvinai’s world, that’s exactly the kind of moment where aliens might show up and pitch in. It turns a simple camp chore into a funny, lively mix of real Arctic life and her cosmic humour.

Imagine a windy day at camp. People are taking down the tent. The canvas is flapping, someone is pulling the pole, someone else is grabbing gear, a kid is running toward the action, and everything overlaps in that funny, slightly messy way camp life often does. Shuvinai has probably watched this scene many times.

But she doesn’t draw it literally. She draws what it felt like.

The tall person pulling the tent pole becomes a vertical creature with walrus tusks, a fish tail, and flipper‑like arms — steady, leaning forward, anchoring the moment. The crouched helper becomes a monkey‑like alien clutching a seal with its legs, the way someone might grab a heavy bag or bundle. The kid running in becomes a strawberry‑headed figure, full of motion and excitement.

Behind them, the tent is absolutely there — just not in the usual way. The soft pink canvas is folded back, collapsing as the pole is pulled down. You can see the boot, the hand gripping the pole, and the rest of the person’s body hidden behind the walrus‑headed creature. It’s a real tent‑taking‑down moment, but transformed into a chain of beings all connected in the action.

The handwritten Inuktitut and English words — snow, falling snow, mist, white tops at sea — feel like the kind of environmental talk people share at camp. Weather, sea conditions, what the day looks like. She folds that everyday knowledge right into the body of the scene.

Drawn on deep red paper, the colours pop beautifully: the pink tent, the warm yellows, the crisp acrylic outlines, and the expressive faces of these alien companions. It’s playful, imaginative, and full of personality — the kind of drawing that makes people lean in and say, “Okay, what’s happening here?” in the best possible way.

For collectors, this piece is a joy. It’s a tent coming down, a tangle of helpers (human and not), weather words written across the body, and Shuvinai’s unmistakable surreal humour tying it all together. A simple moment at camp turned into a lively, cosmic story.

The blank sheet of letter‑size (8 ½ × 11 inch) paper in the scale reference photo is included for size comparison.

Copyright

© DaVic Art Gallery, 2026. All rights reserved. Content may be quoted or reproduced for educational or promotional purposes only with clear attribution to DaVic Art Gallery of Native Canadian Arts and inclusion of the artwork title and artist’s name.