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By Real Time News Daily Staff
TORONTO – A new publication is shining a light on the life and work of Pudlo Pudlat (1916–1992), one of the most influential Inuit artists of the 20th century. The West Baffin Cooperative has released Pudlo Pudlat: Art is Life, a trilingual, full-colour book that captures the bold imagination and prolific output of an artist whose drawings bridged the worlds of tradition and modernity in the Canadian North.
The launch will be held on September 13 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Metro Studio in Toronto (401 Richmond Street West, #306), hosted by the West Baffin Cooperative in partnership with the Kinngait Arts Foundation and Metro Studio. Alongside the unveiling of the book, visitors will see an exhibition of Pudlat’s drawings and new work by Zachari Logan, the Cooperative’s 2025 artist-in-residence in Kinngait, Nunavut.
From Snow Walls to Paper
Born in Kamadjuak Camp on Baffin Island, Pudlat’s earliest sketches weren’t made on paper but on the snow and ice walls of igloos. When his family settled in Kinngait in the 1960s, he began working on paper as part of the community’s emerging arts program. What followed was an extraordinary three decades of creativity: more than 4,000 drawings and 200 prints that established him as one of the great innovators of contemporary Inuit art.
Pudlat often described drawing as a way to “think on paper.” His works explore architecture, technology, and transportation, reflecting how modernization touched even the most remote corners of the Arctic. Yet beyond their narrative content, his pieces stand out for their striking sense of design and composition, making his art as much about visual rhythm as storytelling.
A Legacy in Print
Pudlo Pudlat: Art is Life is more than a catalogue — it is a record of cultural memory. At $45 CAD, the publication is available through the West Baffin Cooperative, while Canada Goose will place review copies in select international store lounges.
“This print piece is both a celebration of Pudlat’s creative practice and an important next step in our ongoing publishing program,” said William Huffman, Executive Manager of the West Baffin Cooperative. “We’re delighted to record these visual histories and provide them to a broad and international audience.”
The book includes a foreword by the Cooperative’s Arts Committee and essays by respected curators and critics, including Claire Foussard, Will Heinrich, Christine May, Xanthe Isbister, and Leah Taylor. Its production brought together a dedicated team for translation, editing, design, and printing, ensuring the work reflects Pudlat’s trilingual and cross-cultural context.
More Than an Artist, a Storyteller
What makes Pudlat’s work so enduring is its balance between the familiar and the fantastical. His playful yet profound imagery captured a world in transition — where airplanes and satellites entered landscapes once dominated by sleds and caribou. For many, his art represents not only personal expression but also a visual chronicle of Inuit life during the sweeping changes of the mid-20th century.
The upcoming exhibition and book launch place Pudlat’s voice alongside contemporary artists like Zachari Logan, underscoring the continued vitality of Inuit art as it inspires new generations.
About the West Baffin Cooperative
Founded in 1959, the West Baffin Cooperative is a community-owned organization in Kinngait, Nunavut, renowned worldwide for its support of Inuit artists. Through its atelier at the Kenojuak Cultural Centre and its Toronto office, the Cooperative connects Inuit art to galleries, museums, and collectors across the globe. Its mandate extends beyond art, contributing to community life through retail, services, and local economic initiatives.
Event Details
📅 Date: September 13, 2025
🕑 Time: 2–4 p.m.
📍 Location: Metro Studio, 401 Richmond St. W #306, Toronto
