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Inuit prints from the Cape Dorset Printmaking Co-op, Nunavut, Canada
Roll over each image to view an enlargement; scroll down for more information.
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The first catalogued collection of graphic
art was produced in the Cape Dorset print
studio in 1959 and the practise of producing
an annual collection of prints continues
to this day. In the 60's, any
Inuit still lived in camps and would make
drawings there in their traditional environment.
During the next visit to the trading post,
the artists would present their finished
work for sale in the hope of having one or
more made into limited edition stonecuts,
stencils, or engravings.
Today, most artists work in their homes in Cape Dorset and more recent printing techniques also include lithographs, etchings and aquatints. Although many of the early artists are now deceased, a new generation has emerged, also expressing their unique vision in strong compositions and compelling images.
Washi has been used from the very beginning
in Cape Dorset for both stencil prints and
the stonecuts, often mixing the two techniques
in the same print.
In
2003, The Japanese Paper Place arranged
for a family of 3 Japanese papermaking
generations to visit Cape Dorset, to introduce
them to the printmakers who were using their
paper. The highlight was the presentation
by the Co-op of one of Kenojouak's "Golden
Bird" stonecut
to the Osaki family, a magnificent glowing
print on fine seichosen kozo.
In addition to being aesthetically appealing, Inuit works on paper offer invaluable documentation and insights into a culture that endured largely untouched until the middle of the 20th century.
If you would like to read more about this fascinating piece of Canadian art history, check out the new book release by Leslie Boyd called Cape Dorset Prints: a Retrospective or to purchase a print visit www.dorsetfinearts.com.
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