Regional Carving Styles Canadian Inuit

Distinct Regional Carving Styles Of The Canadian Inuit
By Simon Letourneau

The Canadian Artic area covers 777,000 square miles and includes thousands of artists whose styles vary as much as the names of their Inuit communities. However, artists rarely work in isolation. Living in small settlements, common styles and themes have emerged. This article provides an overview of what makes each region's sculpture style special.

Sanikiluaq * Kuujjuaraapik * Inukjuak * Puvirnituq * Akulivik

Sanikiluaq sculptures are popular with art collectors and tourists who favor wildlife sculptures. Birds and marine animals are customary subjects, as well as domestic and camp scenes. In keeping with the wildlife theme, the style is naturalistic, though some artists favor a stylized, angular look.

An unusual argillite stone, which ranges from light green to almost black, is another reason that Sanikiluaq sculptures are so popular.

The Kuujjuaraapik style is similar to Sanikiluaq, but includes more domestic and camp scenes. Artists sometimes employ fantasy imagery. Kuujjuaraapik artists use the argillite stone from Sanikiluaq (when available) or grey Artic Québec stone.

The sculptures of Inukjuak are more realistic, featuring domestic and hunting scenes. Mythological imagery is rare. The sculptures have a static, calm feel - wide and curvy.

In the past, Inukjuak artists used inlays like ivory in their sculptures, but this is no longer done. However, they still use a rich green mottled stone quarried from the local area. When an artist uses grey stone, they often darken it.

The Puvirnituq and Akulivik artists have moved between the two settlements, so these two areas have a similar style. The subject matter - hunting scenes and animals - is considered more masculine. The sculpting style is realistic with an emphasis on naturalistic detail.

Salluit * Ivujivik * Kangirsuk

Like Inukjuak, Salluit and Ivujivik artists favor domestic and hunting scenes. The style is also more similar to Inukjuak, but this wasn't always the case. At the start of the Inuit art movement in the 1950s, artists here developed a Romanesque-like style that had a monumental, static feel - think large folds of drapery over equally large, bulky bodies. However, this style has died out.

The folk art quality of Kangirsuk sculptures comes from subject matter that's rustic and a bit off-the-wall. The artists sometimes blacken the grey stone, which gives the pieces a quaint effect.

Cape Dorset * Kimmirut

Cape Dorset has a large pool of talented artists with varied styles. However, two common themes are:

* Love of naturalism
* Wildlife and the spirit world