Inuit Women Artists [Paperback]

O. Leroux (Author), M Jackson (Author), Fr (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1996

The tiny Canadian hamlet of Cape Dorset, just south of the Arctic Circle, has been known since the late 1950s as the capital of Inuit art, thanks to the community’s many talented artists. Here, 12 female artists and writers reflect on a way of life that is now threatened. Each has a story to tell — of growing up female in a harsh environment, of adapting to new cultures and learning the nuances of familiar ways, of learning new art forms through which to portray the best, and worst, of their extraordinary lives. Interwoven with vivid images of a unique culture and a stern landscape are the women’s thoughtful comments on their creative inspirations. Each speaks her concerns with energy, channelling her passions through art that is at once subtle and bold, delicate in detail yet forceful. Two hundred illustrations, over 50 in full color, depict the artists’ striking graphics, sculpture, and jewelry.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This work is conceived by, executed by, and devoted to Native women artists. The nine artists represented here work at Cape Dorset, situated on a peninsula in the Hudson Bay, a remote yet active center for Inuit art making. The book takes the reader well into the heart of creative and social issues. Mirroring the growing trend to let Native artists speak for themselves, it gives the artists' experiences in their own words. The women featured here are candidly articulate in their summations, and the editorial control of the narratives is thoughtful and focused. One minor quibble might be the lack of a general overview of the Canadian art scene and its utilization (or nonutilization) of its Native artists. However, the illustrations are excellent, the range of art covered is representative, and there have been only a handful of books on Canadian Native arts. Recommended for specialized collections.
Paula A. Baxter, NYPL
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

On the shores of Hudson Bay, just south of the Arctic Circle, a tiny peninsula juts out from Baffin Island. On it, in Cape Dorset and the tiny surrounding communities, a group of artists has, in the last three decades, redefined Native art in contemporary terms. Using lithography as well as such more traditional techniques as ivory and stone carving, the Cape Dorset artists join flattened human and animal shapes with exquisitely careful observation of natural details; traditional Inuit spirituality appears as both subject and context. This well-designed book examines the work of nine women of the Cape Dorset collective, among them world-renowned lithographer Kenojuak Ashevak and engraver Pitseolak Ashoona. Numerous excellent reproductions of the artwork are married to an unusual text that records not art historians speaking for the artists but the artists' own words, thus capturing the wry, direct quality of Inuit speech as well as the women's insights into the lessons of their lives and their art. A fine album that opens new doors of understanding. Patricia Monaghan

Product Details

• Paperback: 253 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books; First Edition edition (June 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081181307X
• ISBN-13: 978-0811813075
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 9.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,259,530 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An exciting world, February 19, 2007

By 

Jean Burrowes (Evanston IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Inuit Women Artists (Paperback)

I felt as if I held a whole world, its culture, and its art in my hand. The text was fascinating. The photographs and illustrations are incredibly beautiful. The book itself is a handsome piece of work.

To me, as an old (81) feminist, it was a celebration.

Those interested should read books by or about James Houston, who did so much to bring Inuit art to the outside world.