The way of Inuit art: aesthetics and history in and beyond the Arctic

Abstract

Despite its apparent simplicity, Inuit art has inspired interest from art appreciaters of many varied levels of sophistication. The symbols and themes in Inuit art works often evoke stirring emotional responses in their viewers. This book studies Inuit art from prehistory to the present and explores the ways in which it has been influenced by and has influenced non-Inuit artists and scholars, concentrating on its methodology and aesthetics. Part One gives the history of the main art-producing prehistoric traditions in the North American arctic, concentrating on the Dorset who once flourished in the Canadian region. It also demonstrates the influence of theories such as evolutionism, diffusionism, ethnographic comparison, and shamanism on the interpretation of prehistoric Inuit art. Part Two demonstrates the influence of such popular theories as nationalism, primitivism, modernism, and postmodernism on the aesthetics and representation of twentieth-century Canadian Inuit art. This discussion is supported by interviews conducted with Inuit artists. A final chapter shows the presence of Inuit art in the mainstream multi-cultural environment, with a discussion of its influence on Canadian artist Nicola Wojewoda. The work also presents various Inuit artists' reactions to Wojewoda's work.