Thursday, April 14, 2011

Migration and the ways we look at art.


Joe Talirunili, c1974. Art Gallery of Ontario.

You know what I like about Inuit art? There is a certain honesty about it. It captures the life of the Inuit in simple, uncluttered terms. I don't envision the Inuit soapstone carver, sitting back in his chair thinking "I must make a really unique, different, creative statement today." And, I sometimes wonder what the Inuit must think about our relentless search for artistic unorthodoxy.

When I see these small, stone people paddling together I see a people who have learned to survive through communal effort. It reflects a culture where unorthodoxy creates individuals who stand apart from the pack and isolation ia the worst of all fates for the Inuit.

There are no "aha" moments in Inuit art. They don't search for intellectual profundity. They don't see it as a vehicle for inner illumination. Its take it as you see it art.
Posted by at
Labels:

No comments:

Post a Comment

Thank you for posting your comments.
ATTENTION SPAMMERS: Comments with links to other websites, will not be accepted.

A message for anonymous posters: Comments will be accepted provided they are thoughtful and articulate.

Reciprocating comments between posters will not be accepted. Sorry - I have no intention of giving readers the opportunity to engage in flame wars. It won't happen.

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Fredericks-Artworks Blog, copying policy


The Canadian Copyright act, section 29 reports on fairdealing, that it is not an infringement to reproduce someone else's work for research, study, criticism, review or to report. Which pretty much sums up what this site is about. All content sources, be they artists, printed references, and website url's are respectfully identified on this site. http://http//www.canlii.org/en/ca/laws/stat/rsc-1985-c-c-42/latest/rsc-1985-c-c-42.html

Mission Statement
A Portrait of the Visual Arts in Canada, is intended to celebrate the richness of Canada's visual arts, and to promote the arts in Canada.

Statement of Intent
I make every effort to credit the sources of information used in this blog and to obtain the permission and cooperation of all the works presented by living artists. I try, as much as possible to use works from public sources eg. national and provincial collections, of deceased artists. If for any reason, any artist disapproves of anything written about them or their work the artist is encouraged to request withdrawal of the content.