Baffin Island Destination Guide

INTRICATE INUIT TAPESTRIES & CARVINGS

Inuit artists have been creating works of art using stone and walrus ivory for millennia, but in recent years, soapstone has become their medium of choice. As the Inuit gave up their nomadic lifestyle and settled in communities like Cape Dorset, block-printing hunting scenes and mythological images became a popular activity. First introduced in 1957 by artist and government worker James Houston, printmaking gave locals a new medium by which to display the symbols and scenes internationally recognized as uniquely Inuit. Tucked beneath the snow-capped peaks of Mount Duval, Pangnirtung is a renowned artists’ haven.

At the Uqqurmiut Centre for Arts & Crafts, one can view the traditional colorful tapestries that have attracted worldwide attention for decades. Here, you’ll also get a sense of local Inuit activities, such as sealing, fishing and hunting.

Local art from Pangnirtung

BAFFIN ISLAND DESTINATION GUIDE | 9

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