Cape Dorset Sculpture

"At a time when publications documenting the best work coming out of the North are scarce, this beautifully photographed collection of contemporary Cape Dorset sculptures is a rare treat and a true celebration.... the book reflects its authors' passion for Inuit art; it is clearly a labour of love."
—Dorothy Speak, Inuit Art Quarterly

Cape Dorset Sculpture showcases an extraordinary collection of outstanding works of contemporary Inuit stone sculpture, with related graphic works and classic older carvings. All the artists are from the Arctic community of Cape Dorset, Nunavut, which has had the single greatest impact on the worldwide recognition of Inuit art.

Featured in the book are new sculptures by forty-four leading artists, many of whom were instrumental in shaping the look and direction of Inuit art. By turns powerful and enchanting, these works explore richly varied themes such as Arctic wildlife; life in the home, the community, and on the land; and shaman, transformations, and fantastic beings.

In his introduction, Terry Ryan recalls the early days of art-making in Cape Dorset. Derek Norton and Nigel Reading provide vital background information on the art and artists of Cape Dorset. The artists contribute stories and personal insights about their sculptures.

The success of Inuit artists from Cape Dorset, particularly the first generation of sculptors and the graphic artists, has inspired them to constantly reinvent their art and to explore new directions. Many of the younger artists, who are from families that were the original art-makers of the Arctic, are following in their ancestors' path but making the art their own.

Derek Norton and Nigel Reading are two of the founders of the Spirit Wrestler Gallery in Vancouver. Terry Ryan is director emeritus of the West Baffin Eskimo Co-Operative in Cape Dorset, Nunavut, and director of Dorset Fine Arts in Toronto.

• Written by Derek Norton and Nigel Reading
• Edited by Saeko Usukawa
• Introduction by Terry Ryan
• Photographs by Kenji Nagai
• Published in Canada by Douglas & McIntyre
• Published in the U.S. by University of Washington Press

View the Cape Dorset Sculpture exhibition.