Carving

Contemporary Inuit sculpture produced for the art market began in the 1950's in response to a very successful sale, by the Canadian Handicraft Guild in Montreal in 1949, of pieces collected by James A. Houston on the east coast of Hudson Bay. The Inuit co-operatives developed by 1959 and a central marketing agency was established in 1965. Carving continues to be a major source of income in the Eastern Canadian Arctic, an area which has undergone major social and economic changes, especially since World War II. There has been a steady growth in permanent settlements during the last half of this century which has made large scale carving in stone feasible. Traditionally, carving materials were mainly bone, antler, and ivory, because of their light weight, strength, and durability. Heavier and more fragile stone was used primarily for lamps and cooking vessels. Although Inuit sculpture is often referred to as 'soapstone' sculpture, in fact, less than half of the stone used is soapstone (a high-grade talc or steatite). Other stones commonly used include serpentine, olivine, periodite, chrysolite, and others. In the early years of the industry it was possible to identify where a carving came from by the specific type of stone used, however, in recent years stone is traded on a wider, regional basis. Whale bone, antler, walrus tusk ivory, and a variety of other materials are also used by Inuit carvers. Themes in Inuit sculpture are based on personal experiences and beliefs, derive from oral traditions, mythology, as well as from narrative and figurative themes depicting arctic fauna and scenes of traditional Inuit life. Regional, community, and individual styles are also apparent.

Balshine family collection.

contemporary art

Two seal-like ivory creatures (b-c) resting on an antler platform (a). The antler is oval in cross-section at one end and flattens out before constricting to rounder end, after a projection. There are stains and patches of outer antler covering still adhering to surface. Two holes on top, one has a wooden peg for holding c. The other is peg is missing. B is a seal with a wide fish-like mouth, brow-ridge and nose. Knobs for flippers are behind head and there are two small flippers at back. There is a hole in the concave area at the bottom for peg. c is smaller than b and has a wide lipped mouth, nostrils on upper lip area, circular eyes and small pointed ears. Straight, small protrusions behind head at bottom and a widely curved, fluked tail. There is a hole drilled in a longitudinal channel along the bottom.