Vital North
The Spirited Sculpture of the Kitikmeot Inuit
Working in a variety of media including whalebone, stone, antler
and various other organic materials, the Netsilik artists of the
Kitikmeot region have produced some of the most unusual and impressive
works in the history of northern art. Mostly non-representational
in form and often shamanistic in content, these images alternately
confront, challenge, tease and surprise the viewer, resulting in
an intense expressionism.
This memorable catalogue is one of the first devoted entirely
to the dynamic art of the Netsilik. With 15 artists represented
in total, it includes key works in the oeuvres of such masters as
Judas Ullulaq, Charlie Ugyuk and Nick Sikkuark. In a revealing introductory
essay, scholar Peter Millard argues that it is the art's dual grounding
in shamanistic belief and contemporary irony that gives it its powerful
edge.
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