TORONTO – The West Baffin Cooperative is pleased to announce the release of Pudlo Pudlat: Art is Life, a trilingual, full-colour publication that showcases artwork created by the late Pudlo Pudlat[http://Pudlo Pudlat] (1916-1992), one of Canada’s most celebrated and influential Inuit artists.

A launch event will be held on Sept. 13 from 2 to 4pm at Metro Studio in Toronto (401 Richmond Street West #306). The event will be hosted by the West Baffin Cooperative, Kinngait Arts Foundation and Metro Studio.

The release of the publication coincides with a national tour of his artwork, which kicked off in Newfoundland and Labrador in July. His work will also be featured in the upcoming issue of Spencer Magazine.

“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 publication retails for $45 CAD and is available from West Baffin Cooperative. In addition, Canada Goose will make review copies available in the library at select store lounges internationally.

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.

During the event, Metro Studio will also present an exhibition of drawings by Pudlo Pudlat alongside an installation of new and recent work by Zachari Logan, who is the 2025 West Baffin Cooperative artist-in-residence at its Kinngait, Nunavut studio.

The new publication also contains a forward by the West Baffin Cooperative Arts Committee along with texts by Claire Foussard (curator and arts writer, past West Baffin Cooperative research resident), Will Heinrich (independent arts writer, New York Times), Christine May (Curator, Kelowna Art Gallery, British Columbia), Xanthe Isbister (Director/Curator, Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre, Medicine Hat, Alberta), Leah Taylor (Curator, Kenderdine Art Gallery and College Art Galleries, Saskatchewan). The publishers wish to acknowledge the entended production team including Cheryl Rondeau (exhibition and publication management), Nina Toonoo (Inuktitut language translation and editing), Naomi Pauls (English language editing), Duncan McDonald (French language translation), NAMARA (book design), and Andora Graphics Inc. (printing).
Please reach out to the media contacts below to RSVP to the launch event on Sept. 13.

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.