West Baffin Cooperative Launches National Touring Exhibition Celebrating Late Inuit Artist Pudlo Pudlat

First exhibit will be held at English Harbour Arts Centre in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Kinngait (Cape Dorset), Nunavut – The West Baffin Cooperative is proud to announce a national touring exhibition honouring the cultural legacy of Pudlo Pudlat (1916-1992), one of Canada’s most celebrated and influential Inuit artists.

The first installment of this exhibition will take place at the English Harbour Arts Centre in Newfoundland and Labrador from July 12 to October 4, 2025, before embarking on a national tour. The free exhibit, which is open from 10am to 5pm daily, will showcase Pudlat’s colour pencil drawings and is an homage to his significant contribution to the early development of Inuit art. A curator chat will be held on July 12 at 2pm as part of the exhibit’s opening. The media are welcome to attend.

“This exhibition is not just a tribute to Pudlo Pudlat’s legacy—it’s a celebration of how his unique perspective helped shape the trajectory of Inuit art in Canada,” said William Huffman, Executive manager of the West Baffin Cooperative. “His work continues to challenge and inspire artists and audiences across the country.”

“What a privilege to debut the PUDLO PULAT: Art is Life national tour in our little corner of the world. We’re honoured and excited to share this exhibition with our residents and visitors as we embark on a new season highlighted by the legacy Pudlo Pudlat. Thank you Kinngait and the West Baffin Cooperative.” said Kim Paddon, Chair of the English Harbour Arts Association

Born in Kamadjuak Camp on Baffin Island, Pudlat’s early artistic experience included drawing on snow walls and ice windows inside igloos. It wasn’t until the 1960s, after settling in Kinngait, that he began drawing on paper as part of the community’s growing arts program. Over the next three decades, Pudlat produced more than 4,000 drawings and 200 prints, earning a place as one of the most prolific and visionary figures in contemporary Inuit art.

Pudlat used drawing as a means to “think on paper.” Those thoughts frequently explored the themes of architecture, technology and transportation as they related to the changing North. However, even at the earliest stages of his career, Pudlo’s tendency to treat an idea through a series of images also took another route; many of his drawings and prints focus as much on matters of design and composition as on the narrative content.

His drawings have been featured in two major exhibitions at the National Gallery of Canada and many of his pieces are still showcased there today. His artwork can also be found in major art collections in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, and the United States.

The national touring exhibition will bring Pudlo’s visual stories to a wider audience—ensuring that his voice, perspective, and artistry continues to resonate with future generations of Canadians.

CONTACT: Sasha Stoltz | Sasha@sashastoltzpublicity.com |

About West Baffin Cooperative
Established in 1959, West Baffin Cooperative has enjoyed an international reputation for the exquisite prints, drawings and sculpture created by its Inuit artist members. In addition to operation of its renowned atelier at the Kenojuak Cultural Centre in Kinngait (Nunavut), the cooperative manages a Toronto satellite office, which is responsible for interfacing with galleries, museums, cultural professionals, Inuit art enthusiasts and the art market globally. Working closely with some of the most important museums, galleries, biennales, art fairs and other presentation platforms internationally. The mandate of West Baffin Cooperative includes public relations, promotion, advocacy, government relations and special projects relating to Kinngait Inuit art. Governed by a community Board of Directors, the organization also maintains a local retail store, restaurant, rental properties, fuel delivery services and small engine repair. As a community owned organization, practically all Kinngait adults are shareholders, profits are distributed back to the community in the form of annual dividends.

About the English Harbour Arts Centre
Housed in the former All Saints Anglican Church in a magnificently restored heritage building
overlooking Trinity Bay, the English Harbour Arts Centre is a not-for-profit organization and
registered charity. As well as serving as an exhibition and events space, the centre hosts creative retreats for professional artists, writers, and musicians. The 19th-century deconsecrated church will make for a dramatic venue to showcase this not-to-be-missed
exhibition—the first ever national touring exhibition to be curated in Arctic Canada.