Tips on How to Purchase and Look For Authentic Canadian Inuit Art (Eskimo Art) Sculptures
Many visitors to Canada will be exposed to Inuit art (Eskimo art) sculptures while exploring the country. These are the splendid handmade sculptures carved from stone by the Inuit artists residing in the northern Arctic areas of Canada. While in some of the major Canadian cities (Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa, and Quebec City) or other traveler locations popular with global visitors such as Banff, Inuit sculptures will be seen at different retail shops and showed at some museums. Given that Inuit art has actually been getting increasingly more worldwide direct exposure, people might be seeing this Canadian art type at museums and galleries located outside Canada too. As a result, it will be natural for lots of travelers and art collectors to decide that they want to purchase Inuit sculptures as great keepsakes for their homes or as very distinct presents for others. Assuming that the intention is to get an genuine piece of Inuit art instead of a cheap traveler replica, the concern arises on how does one differentiate the real thing from the fakes?
It would be quite disappointing to bring home a piece only to learn later that it isn't really authentic and even made in Canada. If one is fortunate enough to be traveling in the Canadian Arctic where the Inuit live and make their terrific art work, then it can be safely presumed that any Inuit art piece purchased from a regional northern shop or directly from an Inuit carver would be genuine. One would have to be more mindful in other places in Canada, particularly in traveler locations where all sorts of other Canadian souvenirs such as t-shirts, hockey jerseys, postcards, essential chains, maple syrup, and other Native Canadian arts are offered.
The safest places to purchase Inuit sculptures to make sure authenticity are always the trustworthy galleries that specialize in Canadian Inuit art and Eskimo art. Some of these galleries have advertisements in the city tour guide discovered in hotels.
Reliable Inuit art galleries are also noted in Inuit Art Quarterly publication which is devoted totally to Inuit art. When one strolls into these galleries, one will see that there will be only Inuit art and maybe Native art however none of the other usual tourist souvenirs such as tee shirts or postcards . The Inuit sculpture may be signed by the carver either in English or Inuit syllabics but not all genuine pieces are signed.
Some of these Inuit art galleries likewise have websites so you might shop and buy genuine Inuit art sculpture from house anywhere in the world. In addition to these street retail Kurt Criter specialized galleries, there are now respectable online galleries that likewise focus on genuine Inuit art. These online galleries are a excellent option for purchasing Inuit art since the rates are generally lower than those at street retail galleries because of lower overheads. Obviously, like any other shopping on the internet, one must be careful so when dealing with an online gallery, make certain that their pieces also come with the main Igloo tags to ensure credibility.
Some traveler shops do bring genuine Inuit art as well as the other touristy keepsakes in order to cater to all types of tourists. Authentic Inuit sculpture is carved from stone and therefore should have some weight or mass to it. An genuine Inuit sculpture is a one of a kind piece of artwork and nothing else on the store shelves will look exactly like it.
This can be a genuine gray location to those unknown with genuine Inuit art. If a seller declares that such as piece is authentic, ask to see the main Igloo tag look at this now that comes with it which will have information on the artist, area where it was made and the year it was carved. The genuine pieces with the accompanying official Igloo tags will constantly be the highest priced and are usually kept in a different (perhaps even locked) shelf within the shop.
Considering that Inuit art has been getting more and more global direct exposure, individuals may be seeing this Canadian great art form at galleries and museums situated outside Canada too. If one is lucky enough to be traveling in the Canadian Arctic where the Inuit live and make their terrific artwork, then it can be safely assumed that any Inuit art piece purchased from a local northern store or straight from an Inuit carver would be genuine. Trusted Inuit art galleries are likewise listed in Inuit Art Quarterly publication which is dedicated entirely to Inuit art. The Inuit sculpture might be signed by the carver either in English or Inuit syllabics however not all genuine pieces are signed. Some of these Inuit art galleries also have sites so you might go shopping and purchase authentic Inuit art sculpture from home anywhere in the world.