Masterpieces of the far north

Sophisticated art from a harsh land

By Roger Hamilton

None of the major capitals in the history of art, whether Paris, Florence, Rome, New York or Amsterdam, ever had as many artists per capita as the village of Cape Dorset.

Located on a thumb of land on Canada's Baffin Island near the mouth of Hudson Bay, this windswept community of 1,200 people is home to hundreds of artists, some of them of the highest order. For the most part carvers in stone, their works are prized by collectors and are exhibited in major museums around the world.

The same is true for many other settlements that dot the Canadian high Arctic, from the icy shores bordering the Beaufort Sea to the eastern fjords of Baffin Island. Here live 30,000 Inuit people who have created an artistic tradition that has become a major source of income and international recognition.

Some of the finest examples of Inuit art were on display from December to February at the IDB Cultural Center's Art Gallery. From playful dancers to snarling bears, subtle abstractions to scenes of great realism, the exhibit "Masterpieces of Canadian Inuit Sculpture," celebrated both a cultural and economic success story.

From obscurity to international fame. Until the middle of the 20^th century, the outside world had few hints of the aesthetic potential of the people of this forgotten corner of the world. If the Inuit were thought about at all, it was for the dramatic proof they provided that man can adapt to some of the most extreme conditions on earth.

But the Inuit did more than adapt and survive. Using great ingenuity, they turned humble materials into objects of great utility and beauty. From walrus intestine they fashioned intricately sewn parkas, translucent and waterproof. Out of driftwood and skins they created the kayak, one of the most elegant and efficient watercraft ever invented. In their hands, utilitarian objects such as needle cases and combs assumed graceful zoomorphic and anthropomorphic forms.

Nevertheless, the Inuit lived a precarious existence. So, following the end of World War II, the Canadian government decided to provide them with regular medical care and a stable food supply. The government also encouraged the Inuit to abandon their nomadic existence as hunters and settle into permanent villages.

As village dwellers the Inuit did, in fact, have somewhat more material security. But they also had very little to do to that would generate an income.

An explosion of Inuit art. Into this scene of cultural change and continued poverty stepped young Canadian artist James Houston. Commissioned by the Canadian Handicrafts Guild in Montreal, Houston set off on a mission in 1948 to buy Inuit handicrafts and see what could be done about starting a handicrafts market.

The plan worked beyond expectations. "What is astonishing is the rapid appearance not only of handicrafts, but also of carvings with impressive artistic merit," writes John M. Burdick, associate curator for the IDB exhibit, in the exhibit's catalogue. "By the early 1950s, sculptures of dazzling skill and creativity steadily emerged from the Arctic."

Since then, Inuit art has been driven by a combination of the sculptors' aesthetic sense and the forces of the market. The result has been fame and relative fortune for the finest artists, and a welcome source of income for many others, such as those who produce souvenirs and imitations of the work of others.

Success in the market does not always translate into great art, says Burdick. Collectors often want to buy works that are similar to those exhibited in museums or featured in books. Talented artists who would otherwise explore new styles and follow personal artistic vision, are often happy to oblige.

In the end, the vitality of an artistic tradition depends on that same interplay between the artist and the market. "Artistic styles must evolve or stagnate, and there is no magic formula to ensure that the evolution that occurs will yield continuously excellent work," Burdick writes. But in the case of the Inuit, he is confident that there are enough collectors who demand truly original work, giving the artists the motivation to develop their own personal styles.

Date posted: March 2001

Drum Dancer.

Inuit Dentistry.

Drawing Out Evils.

Fishing from Umiak.

Bird Shaman.

Old Woman Legend.