"Drawing is speaking". Figurative pratices, symbolic representations, and the socio-cultural Stakes whithin Inuit Graphic Arts in Nunavut (Canadian Artic)

• Main Author: Maire, Aurélie
• Other Authors: Centre d'Études et de Recherche sur les Littératures et Oralités du Monde (CERLOM EA 4124), Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales (Inalco), Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales- INALCO PARIS - LANGUES O', Michèle Therrien, Frédéric Laugrand
• Format: Doctoral or Postdoctoral Thesis
• Language: French
• Published: HAL CCSD 2014
• Subjects: Ethno-history of art; Canadian Arctic; Speech; Ethnohistoire de l'art; Parole; Arctique Canadien; [SHS.ART]Humanities and Social Sciences/Art and art history; Arctic; Cape Dorset; Nunavut; Pangnirtung; Arctique*; inuit
• Online Access: https://theses.hal.science/tel-01180738; https://theses.hal.science/tel-01180738/document; https://theses.hal.science/tel-01180738/file/MAIRE_Aurelie_vavd.pdf

This doctoral research examines the themes of figurative practices, symbolic representations and the socio-cultural stakes specific to Inuit graphic arts in the communities of Kinngait (Cape Dorset) and Pangniqtuuq (Pangnirtung) in Nunavut (the Canadian Arctic). The notions of drawing (titiqtugaq-) and of speech (uqaq-) are central to the thesis, which is guided by an interdisciplinary approach within the perspective of ethno-history of Inuit sketch art. The thesis is organized into three parts. The first explores the configuration of Inuit thought associated with the concepts of graphic art, visual representation and creation, through their linguistic expression (Chapter II). In addition, ethnography of the local art scene looks at drawing and the socio-economic activities that are associated with it, in connection with the status of the artist (Chapters III and IV). The second part looks at figuration in relation to power words, from cosmogenesis and ancient graphic techniques (Chapter V). With this in hand, the second part then looks at the interactions between drawing and speaking from a symbolic perspective: through drawings, the thoughts and words are put into action (Chapters VI and VII). The last part of the dissertation continues the analysis by defining art as part of the socio-cultural and political dynamics of the Nunavummiut. Recourse to drawing, as a community project, is studied with reference to recent examples (Chapter VIII), prior to being placed, within an ontological dimension, at the centre of relational and socio-cosmic exchange dynamics (Chapter IX) Cette recherche doctorale examine les pratiques figuratives, les représentations symboliques et les enjeux socio-culturels des arts graphiques inuit dans les communautés de Kinngait (Cape Dorset) et de Pangniqtuuq (Pangnirtung) au Nunavut (Arctique canadien). Les notions de dessin (titiqtugaq-) et de parole (uqaq-) se placent au centre de la démarche qui est guidée par une approche interdisciplinaire, dans la perspective d’une ethnohistoire ...