Carver Looty Pijamini of Grise Fiord, Nunavut, will be a presenter at the Inuit Premiere at Sivertson Gallery on March 14 -15. He was recently commissioned to carve this poignant monument in Grise Fiord.
Sivertson Gallery presents the 14th Annual Inuit Premiere March 14 and 15 in Grand Marais.
This year’s Premiere will feature Inuit Stone Carver Looty Pijamini of Grise Fiord, Nunavut; Tom Chapman, president of Upper Canadian Native Art; and throat-singers Nina Segalowitz and Lydia Etok from the North West Territories and Nunavik.
The annual Inuit Premiere is the only one of its kind in the lower 48 United States featuring original Canadian Inuit prints, soapstone carvings and Native Alaskan sculptures formed from walrus tusk, whale bone, baleen and soapstone. The events at Sivertson Gallery are free and open to the public.
Looty Pijamini is an Inuit artist who lives and works in Grise Fiord, Nunavut. He was born on Baffin Island, and began carving at the age of 12. At 15, Pijamini was carving fulltime. Looty has been the recipient of many prestigious awards. Gaining inspiration for his work primarily from the stone, Looty claims the stone suggests a subject or idea to him. Looty Pijamini has created many exquisite commissioned sculptures. Recently, he was commissioned to build a monument in recognition of the forced High Arctic Relocation, which took place in 1955. The monument in Grise Fiord, portrays a somber woman with a young boy and husky, looking out to sea. Unveiled in September 2010, the monument received high praise from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Tom Chapman, president of Upper Canada Native Art, Inc. has been involved in the Canadian Inuit arts economy since the early 1980s. Chapman has traveled extensively in the north and is respected in the communities he visits. Tom has been instrumental in helping to create cottage industries, working directly with artists and bringing their products south for sale. He brings great knowledge and fascinating tales to this year’s Inuit Premiere.
Participating again this year are the Kattajjak Nunavik-style throat-singers Nina Segalowitz of Fort Smith, NWT and Lydia Etok of Kangiqsualujjuaq, Quebec. Nina and Lydia will be the gallery’s featured cultural performers. The artists will engage in four lively and passionate throat-singing performances. The first demonstration will be held at Siiviis in Duluth on Friday, March 14 at noon and then again on Saturday at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais at 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
For a complete schedule, see http:// www.sivertson.com or call (218) 387- 2491.
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