Images Boréales Inuit Art Gallery

Images Boréales Inuit Art Gallery was opened in 2010 and now proudly represents more than 200 Inuit artists hailing from all corners of Nunavut. It extends extraordinary opportunities to up-and-coming singers, providing them with a promising future by helping them advance their careers. It represents different Indigenous cultures such as First Nations, Denes, Haidas, Coast Salishes, Ojibways, and many more. Inuit have created bone, ivory, and stone art in Northern Canada for numerous centuries. The oldest carvings were decorated tools and objects, often adorned by natural drawing. The Guilde Canadienne des Metiers d'Art showed an early interest for Inuit art, but the first major exhibition at Guilde Gallery in Montreal in 1949 made it well-known. The public response was overwhelmingly positive, marking the birth of Inuit contemporary art. Recognizing Inuits' potential as artists, the government created cooperatives to promote Inuit art, offering more revenue sources to communities. This initiative produced great artists who use their art to communicate and celebrate their beliefs, values, and traditions. Inuit artists use a variety of materials, including bone, walrus ivory, and muskox horn. They also create with leather and caribou antlers, but their primary focus is on stone, such as marble, basalt, and serpentine. The far North, especially Nunavut, has plenty of minerals, which artists have to extract from quarries themselves. Inuit from central Nunavut (Baker Lake, Arviat, etc.) mostly work on basalt. Baffin Island Inuit (Cape Dorset, Kimmirut, Iqaluit, etc.) prefer working on marble and serpentine. Some prefer soapstone, which is soft but not common. The finest artists use tools like rifflers, scrapers, and sandpaper. Metal saws are also used by some artists to save time and guarantee accuracy. Metal saws, mostly used for larger items, would otherwise be hard to handle by hand. However, the final details and finish are completed by hand.

Reviews of the Inuit art gallery unanimously strongly praise it. Patrons agree that the art is incredibly beautiful and well worth a visit. Many buyers also appreciate the shop's owner, Imene, and her knowledge of Inuit art. Imene sets up video calls for prospective buyers to see the gallery. Customers feel confident to trust the shop after viewing the pieces, especially because Imene packs the sculptures with care. Patrons enjoy their in-person experiences and receiving the perfect sculpture. The gallery has a perfect score and all of the reviewers only have great things to say. Lots of people have excellent experiences at The Inuit Gallery!