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Given the perception of being an “arty guy” I was tasked with establishing the first committee. The committee could include any matter deemed to be of importance to the production, promotion and marketing of Eskimo Graphic Art. The first matter was the creation of a committee that would have the following tasks: 1) establish guidelines regarding the market value of each print, 2) decide on the number of prints to be produced for each subject, 3) select the prints to be included in the annual collection and 4) create marketing guidelines regarding business arrangements with art dealers. Though there was a modest display of prints at Stratford, it was then and there, on a bar room floor, that the first major exhibition had its beginnings. I laid the prints out randomly on the bar room floor to Evan’s delight and the amused curiosity of the patrons in the bar. I returned from the bar’s cloakroom with the same bundle of prints I had shown to Kathleen and Richard just an hour or so before. I couldn’t help but smile as I said in response, “Wait just a minute I have something to show you.” Evan Turner arrived, we shook hands, ordered beer and I began to unravel the saga of what we were trying to do to promote this wonderful new art form from the Arctic.Įvan displayed interest and suggested I come to his gallery in Montreal with a selection of prints so he might assess their quality for a possible exhibition. Richard suggested if I were interested, he would talk to Evan who was visiting the National Gallery and proposed Evan and I might meet in the bar of the Beacon Arms Hotel just around the corner from the Gallery. Evan Turner, might be interested in mounting an exhibition of Eskimo Graphic Art.
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Richard mentioned that the newly appointed Director of the Montreal Museum of Art, Dr. As I was about to leave the Gallery, Richard took me aside and stated that he might be able to help. My request to have a small exhibition of the 1959 prints was turned down by Kathleen who suggested that the Museum of Civilization might consider such a proposal. The National Design Council, of which I had been Assistant Director, was an arm of the National Gallery of Canada consequently, I knew Alan Jarvis, Director of the National Gallery, as well as Kathleen Fenwick, curator of prints and drawings, and Richard Simmins. Armed with a huge roll of early prints that had been languishing in our locker in the basement of 150 Kent Street in Ottawa, Ontario, I headed to the National Gallery of Canada. The division staff also consisted of Ronald Gould, Leo Bereasa, Paul Godt, Alex Sprutz, Chesley Russel, Max Budgle, Paul Valalee, Robert Jenness, and five excellent secretaries.Īs I had a background and contacts in the Arts, my first assignment was to develop a plan of action to create public awareness of a new art form referred to as “Eskimo Graphic Art” and put it to work”. The division head was the talented Donald Snowdon. I moved to the Industrial Division of Northern Affairs and National Resources in 1959. Alex Stevenson was a valuable member of the Northern Administration branch and played an important part in the early development of the plan of action to help James Houston promote Inuit Art from Cape Dorset, Nunavut. In 1959, Gordon Robertson was the Deputy Minister of Northern Affairs and National Resources, Bent Sivertz was the Director of Northern Administration and Robert Phillips known as the “RAJ” was the Assistant Director who might, on occasion, report to the Deputy Minister. No one I know has sought to scan the files of the Industrial Division, Northern Affairs (now residing in the NWT Archives) to reveal the early development of bringing Inuit Art, known as Eskimo Graphic Art, to the public. This essay has been written to fill the gap left unexplored by numerous “chroniclers” of Inuit graphic art. Note: Because of the time in history referred to in this article, the word Eskimo is used in this article. Eskimo Graphic Art 1960 Paperback Norman Hallendy JanuPublisher and credit: West-Baffin Eskimo Co-op From bar room floor to NWT archivesĪN ESSAY ON WHAT ACTUALLY TOOK PLACE TO LAUNCH INUIT GRAPHIC ART IN 1959.