Connecting the Players...
To extend our reach and maximize resources, the Inuit Art Foundation makes over half a century of Inuit artmaking known to the world. The program was launched in 2008 with Inuit Art Alive.ca, a virtual survey exhibition of 1,000 images of art from all areas of the Canadian Arctic. As much as possible, living artists were involved in the research and the selection of work presented.
Where Inuit Art Began
Inuit Art Alive.ca was followed with Inukjuak Art History, which documents the art of the community where the contemporary art market began. By acquainting younger generations with the community’s rich history of artmaking, the site assists artists and cultural workers as they build on the accomplishments of their predecessors. A regional art history, entitled Nunavik Art Alive.ca, is in the works.
Coming Soon
The foundation’s long term plan — dependent upon the availability of funding — is to continue producing regional and community art histories, to be followed, ultimately, by individual art histories. As a professional development tool, these websites provide living artists with portfolios of their own work. They are also a valuable research tool for academics, dealers, and collectors. Thousands more have access to the body of work that launched the most successful northern economic venture yet.