Serie - Biographies of Eskimo/Inuit Artists

40 cm of textual records and other material

In response to demand from dealers and the public for more information about individual creators and to assist with the promotion and sale of Inuit art, a project to collect information on Inuit artists was begun by the Inuit Art Section, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. The project was taken up by the Canadian Eskimo Art Committee, which conceived the idea to produce leaflets on individual artists during 1967 and 1968. A form for the collection of information designed with input from prominent collectors Bill Larmour, Alma Houston, and George Swinton, who also provided photographs for the project. By 1968, biographical files had been established for 86 creators. Originally titled the “Eskimo Artists Biographies Project”, the undertaking would eventually grow to include six volumes of artist’s biographies with brief information such as dates of birth and death, and information on major exhibitions of works.

Materials described here consist of correspondence of the progress of the “Biographies” project; lists of names, biographical and autobiographical information and some photographs; reports on the progress of the “Biographies” project; and a copy of the Keewatin district portion of the project.

For further correspondence pertaining to the “Biographies of Eskimo Artists” project see the file labelled ‘Diana Trafford’ described as part of the series ‘Correspondence with Individuals’. Other material pertaining to the “Biographies of Eskimo Artists” project is also described elsewhere in this fonds.