September 20, 2011 – Up until the start of the 20th century, art produced by Canada’s indigenous peoples was generally dismissed as frivolous and child-like because it did not reflect our culture’s dominant ideas about what constitutes “good” art. The past century, however, has seen dramatic changes in the way indigenous peoples—and their art—are regarded, and Montréal is now home to some of the world’s finest collections of works by Inuit and First Nations artists.
Galerie Le Chariot
Known for its impressive selection of more than 2,000 Inuit and Iroquois sculptures and planographic prints, Galerie Le Chariot is the largest Inuit art gallery in Canada. Each piece is carefully selected to meet the demands of collectors and connoisseurs, and each one bears the stamp of a master craftsperson. Fashioned out of whale and animal bone, as well as ivory, slate and stone, Inuit art is created with meticulous care. Celebrated for its liveliness and symbolism, it is often described as an “art of observation” and placed in the category of “high realism,” the European convention by which the artist attempts to render reality in all its detail. As a visit to the museum will show, however, all Inuit art does not fit into a single category; other works reflect a minimalist aesthetic, an opposing convention. Currently on display in the gallery, Maria Adla’s Inukshuk and Nuna Parr’s Resting and Dancing Bears are just two of the works that testify to this diversity.
Galerie Elca London
Founded in 1960, Galerie Elca London also specializes in Inuit art. Featuring works by internationally renowned artists as well as new talents, this commercial gallery has a wide selection of works at every price range. These include sculptures crafted out of whale bone, argillite, serpentine, ivory, marble and ceramic, as well as an array of prints—from stonecuts, stencils and lithographs to etchings and aquatints.
The Canadian Guild of Crafts
The Canadian Guild of Crafts was founded more than a century ago in an effort to conserve, encourage and promote arts and crafts by Inuit and First Nations groups. Home to a permanent collection of Inuit art that includes works dating back to the early 1900s, this vast collection includes sculptures (made from basalt, serpentine, marble and bone), prints (including etchings, lithographs, stonecuts and stencils), tapestries (made of felt, thread and wool, and jewellery (made of caribou antler, sterling, silver and gold). Consistent with the tendency of Inuit art to focus on observation, these works depict people and the natural world around them, offering a glimpse into an entirely different culture and way of life. Hand-crafted sculptures of animals, figurines and Inukshuks are there alongside prints and tapestries depicting arctic landscapes, animals and human beings.
