Inuit art is a relatively new phenomenon and a corollary of Western society’s misguided, but sometimes well intentioned efforts to integrate aboriginal peoples while flirting with their proper genocide . The modern period could be attributed to the Charles Gimpel Gallery Exhibition of Inuit Art at his London gallery during the coronation celebrations of Queen Elizabeth in 1952. International art circles such as MOMA focused attention on the strength and pure energy of this art combined with an innocence and reverence for subject matter. Timeless metaphysical qualities are apparent.
Joe Talirunili: The Migration (1975)
Inuit art is often a joyous representation of their intimate relationship with nature and particular cosmological beliefs partly reflecting their Mongoloid ancestry of eastern asia. Inuit art was a means to affirm cultural identity through visual expression and is surprisingly diverse given an Inuit population of under 100,000 but spread over a large geographic zone stretching from Alaska to Greenland.
Joseph Senungetuk:Visions From an Inuit Seal Oil Lamp
The Inuit semi-sedentary lifestyle was threatened by urbanization, assimilation and acculturation from the arrival of Western style trading which disrupted the traditional Inuit trading patterns with the First Nations to the south. Thus, more the result of coercion than choice, art was seen as a necessary source of income.Inuit art has mostly been associated with sculptured pieces of soapstone, bone and ivory usually depicting animals, hunting and the particular relationship of the Inuit with nature.
An issue has been the commoditization of Inuit art in the same fashion as Amerindien handicrafts such as moccasins and dreamcatchers. Artistically, Inuit and Amerindiens are seen as cheap labor artists and their populations are forced to create stereotypical derivatives of tourist artifacts as a replacement for the subsistence existence of their forefathers. The current generation of Inuit artists will most likely take up new mediums such as acrylic ,oil painting and mixed media to add dimension to their important artistic contribution.
Kenojuak Ashevak: Deep Blue Sea
COMMENTS
hmmm, great post
Very nice art on your page. Didn’t examine everything, but there are traces of Bauhaus style woodcut art ( maybe applied through different medium) as well as some linework reminiscent of the great Inuit artists. Thank-you for visiting the site.
“Above all keep your oil painting colours fresh!” – Edouard Manet
How oil painting surpasses all human works by reason of the subtle possibilities which it contains.
As an oil painting artist. It is central to be unsatisfied! This isn’t greed, though it might be appetite.
Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!
Its practice and learning to be inconsistent. Hoster, thanks for reading.
I’ve never believed in God, but I believe in Picasso. – Diego Rivera
thanks for dropping by