Coco Apunnguaq Lynge | Up Front: Inuit Public Art at Onsite Gallery

January to April 2025

The mural Maliina (2024) beautifully weaves together different, yet impactful versions of the Inuit circumpolar origin story of the sun and the moon. All versions share the same pivotal moment whereby Maliina rubs soot on her hands, and in the morning light, discovers the shocking truth / evidence—that the one she had shared the night with was her brother, the moon. This revelation sparks an eternal chase across the sky, with sun and moon pursuing each other endlessly, shaping day and night.

To honor the Seqineq, Lynge wanted to place Maliina (the Sun) at the heart of this piece, celebrating her as a powerful, central figure. Coco says, “Through this mural, I hope to capture the strength, beauty, and complexity of Maliina's journey, and honor the myth’s deep resonance across generations.”

Lynge also folds into the mural unique details of the telling of the legend, hinting the moon was lured into a kayak, only to be cast into the water. In another, a loon licks the moon’s face and eyes, restoring his sight.