A Map of the Arctic

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There are some 120,000 Inuit people distributed throughout various countries from Siberia to Alaska to Canada to Greenland.
In Inuktitut, the language of the Inuit, “Inuit” means “men” or “people”; it's the plural form of Inuk, meaning “man.” Inuit has come to replace the word “Eskimo.”
The Inuit Circumpolar Conference has been gathering together the Inuit of Alaska, Canada and Greenland since its creation in 1977, and the Inuit of Siberia since a short while ago .
As to the Inuit of Canada, who currently number 30,000 people, a fraction of them (17,500) acquired a new territory of more than 2 million square kilometers on April 1, 1999: NUNAVUT. The Inuit of this new territory exercise their authority over domestic affairs and their rights extend over the soil and subsoil.
The Prime Minister, Paul OKALIK, was elected in February of 1999; he heads a non-ethnic government included in the Canadian Confederation.

A few reference works :

- Les Inuit de l'Arctique canadien (texts collected by Pauline Huret Inuksuk / CIDEF-AFI 2003)
- Les Inuit, ce qu'ils savent du territoire - Paris l'Harmatan 1996 (Béatrice Collignon)
  Knowing places - The Inuinnait, Landscapes and Environment, Edmonton, U.Alberta CCI Press 2006
- Mutations polaires - Ellipses, Marie Françoise André 2005

Since the dawn of time, the Inuit have been working bone, ivory and stone, creating magic or religious works as well as tools or utilitarian objects.
In Canada, this art has continued to affirm itself since the 1950s when it was first “recognized” and encouraged. It is a rare example of contemporary art that has preserved its traditional sources of inspiration while entering modernity. It went from a community art to an art of individualized artists.

Discover the main styles of Inuit sculpture and the distinctive character of each community.


The Various Stylistic Regions :

- NUNAVIK   (photo by Aïsa AMITUK S104 034) In general, Nunavik sculpture (Puvurnituk, Inukjuak) remains traditional although a certain modernity can be detected in the shapes. The often descriptive works record daily life and allude to the principal founding myths.

- NUNAVUT   (photo by Noah JAW S104 272) The sculpture of Baffin Island is known internationally thanks to the artists of the Cape Dorset (Kinngait) community in the southern portion of the island. It consists of pieces worked with considerable attention to detail, pieces that can be recognized by the use of highly polished local serpentine stone.

The artists ofTaloyoak (Talurjuat) and Gjoa Haven (Uqsuqtuuq)   (photo by Paul AALUK S198 068) are chiefly inspired by shamanism and the representation of the spirit world. The works, handled with strength and ingenuity, exude a vitality, an energy that provokes strong reactions. There are many artists from these two centers whose works can be found in public institutions throughout the world.

The artists of Arviat   (photo by Lucy TASSEOR TUTSWEETOK S198 391) like to sculpt family scenes - motherhood is a frequent subject - working the stone with a view to a certain abstraction. Caribou antlers are also used in this region where the animals flourish.

InBaker Lake (Qamanittuaq)   (photo by Peter SEVOGA S104 179) the style is more figurative than it is in Arviat; nevertheless, it strives for a simplification of shape. The subject matter refers to the human or animal world and to the relationship between the two.

- LABRADOR  (photo by John TERRIAK S101 151) The artists of this region work serpentine stone. John Terriak is a good representative. He excels in bird sculptures.