23 Feb 2008 03:21:11 | Clint Leung
When most people think about stone sculptures, it’s probably
giant pieces of abstract art located outside large buildings or
perhaps inside a famous art gallery or museum. Sometimes people
think of stone sculptures as the ancient Roman or Greek
mythological characters like Apollo, Venus or Zeus. For
contemporary fine art, many see stone sculpture only for serious
collectors or for the rich and famous to display in their well
kept mansions. Most individuals, even avid art fans, rarely
think about or are even aware of Inuit stone sculptures from the
Canadian Arctic north.
The Inuit people (formerly referred to as Eskimos in Canada)
have been carving stone sculptures for thousands of years but it
was only introduced as fine art to the modern world on a
significant scale during the 1950s. Today, Inuit stone
sculptures have gained international recognition as a valid form
of contemporary fine art. Even so, most people who are aware of
Inuit stone sculptures are those who have visited Canada in the
past and got exposed to this interesting form of aboriginal art
while visiting Canadian museums or galleries.
If you haven’t seen Inuit stone sculpture, there’s a lot to
offer from the Canadian Arctic. The Inuit do some very realistic
sculptures of the Arctic wildlife they are so intimately
familiar with. These include seals, walruses, birds and of
course, the mighty polar bears. Human subjects depicting the
Inuit Arctic lifestyle are also popular as stone sculptures. One
can see pieces showing hunters, fisherman and even Inuit mothers
with their children. The stone sculptures can come in a variety
of different colors including black, brown, grey, white and
green. Some pieces are highly polished and shiny while others
retain the rougher, primitive look. Styles can vary depending
upon where in the Arctic the Inuit sculptors are located.
An Inuit stone sculpture can definitely be integrated into one’s
home décor and will usually be quite a conversational piece
since most people have never seen such artwork before. This is
especially true in areas located outside Canada where Inuit
stone sculpture is not well known. Canadians have often given
Inuit stone sculptures as unique business or personal gifts.
There are Inuit stone sculptures to suit almost every price
range and budget at about $100 to several thousand dollars for
large, intricate pieces. Most can be purchased at galleries
located in major Canadian cities but there are now a few
galleries located in the USA and Europe that specialize in this
form of art. Not surprisingly, the latest retail source of Inuit
stone sculpture is on the internet. This development is
especially useful for those who are not located near an Inuit
art gallery.
So if Inuit stone sculpture is new to you, have a look on the
internet. You will likely be impressed by the workmanship and
artistic beauty of this unique art form. An entire new world
from the Canadian Arctic will be available to you for your
enjoyment.
About Author :
Clint Leung is owner of Free Spirit Gallery (
http://www.FreeSpiritGallery.ca), an online gallery
specializing in Inuit Eskimo and Northwest Native American art
including carvings, sculpture and prints. Free Spirit Gallery
has numerous information resource articles with photos of
authentic Inuit and Native Indian art as well as free eCards.