Beauty Beyond Bounds: Contemporary Alaska Native & Canadian Inuit Art in Circumpolar Contexts

Continuum of Creation: Teachers, Mentors, and Artistic Lineages

Incredibly, even through the wide variety of artists, media, and communities represented here, there are numerous points of contact and interconnectedness that inform and enrich these masterful works. Take, for instance, Inuvialuit sculptor David Ruben Piqtoukun, who created two pieces in this exhibition. David, along with his brother Abraham Anghik Ruben, exemplifies the cross-border ties discussed here. Of Alaska Native descent, their works reflect a lineage of mentorship and influence that can be traced back to Abraham’s training under Inupiaq modernist Ronald Senungetuk (1933–2020) at the Native Arts Center in Fairbanks, Alaska, in the 1970s. David, in turn, learned sculpture from Abraham. The two works by David presented in this show demonstrate a refinement of technique that aligns with this artistic lineage, distilling form into sleek, modernist shapes while maintaining a connection to traditional aesthetics.

Likewise, Koyukon Athabaskan maskmaker Kathleen Carlo, whose mixed-media mask Fish on in Spirit (2014) is included in this offering, studied under Senungetuk in the 1970s and went on to teach at the Native Arts Center and other cultural institutions across Alaska. One of her students, Yup’ik/Inupiaq maskmaker Drew Michael, also has several pieces represented, which reflect the influence of both Senungetuk’s clean modernist aesthetic and Carlo’s fondness for traditional forms adorned with found objects.

Inupiaq multimedia artist Lawrence Ahvakana’s work, Kalaleet-Nunaaghitmuit Aganyat (Greenlandic Woman) (2002), depicts a Greenlandic woman in pipestone—a nod to his training and time in the American Southwest—affirming both the historic and genetic connection between Alaska Inupiaq and Greenlandic peoples. Many of the artists featured here have also collaborated in exhibitions and workshops organized by Alaskan arts institutions such as the Institute of Alaska Native Art, the Visual Arts Center, and the Alaska Native Arts Foundation, all of which played a pivotal role in shaping contemporary Alaska Native art.

Christopher W. Smith

with Nadine Di Monte

First Arts sincerely thanks Sarah Raven for her invaluable expertise and dedication to this exhibition. Her thoughtful insights have deepened the presentation and understanding of these works, ensuring they are showcased with the care and respect they deserve.