REDCAR.- Arctic Expressions at Kirkleatham Museum, Redcar, explores life for Indigenous Peoples in North America's Arctic regions, Alaska and Canada. The exhibition shows how these resilient communities live with and adapt to socio-political and environmental changes, and how artistic expression is an important part of daily life.


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With themes such as seasonality, human-animal relationships and migration, the exhibition shows historic and contemporary works from the British Museum collection, including new artwork from Alaska Native, Koyukon Dené and Iñupiaq artist Erin Ggaadimits Ivalu Gingrich. Titled Shedding Natchiayaaq from Kigiktaq, the work represents a seal's transformation from infancy to youth. It is being displayed alongside a seal decoy helmet collected on Captain Cook's last voyage to North America, highlighting the profound spiritual and cultural significance of seals for Inuit.

The Arctic is home to around four million people across eight countries. More than 400,000 of these are Indigenous Peoples, who lived in the Circumpolar North long before the creation of nations and borders. The Indigenous artistry in this region highlights both the challenges and complexities of living in these environments, as well as the Arctic's beauty, vibrancy and spiritual significance.

As part of the British Museum in your classroom programme, developed in partnership with Tees Valley Museums, objects featured in the exhibition will visit Green Gates Primary School in Redcar and Errington Primary School in Marske. Children will have the opportunity to go on an educational journey to the Arctic through virtual lessons and hands-on experiences, creating their own artwork in response.

The exhibition also explores the changing circumstances that Arctic communities have faced and the development of organisations such as the Baker Lake arts community, and the Kinngait Cooperative (also known as the West Baffin Eskimo Cooperative) in Kinngait, Nunavut (Canada). Such cooperatives were established to promote the work of Inuit artists and increase incomes for these communities, prompting market-focused motivations and changes in artistic forms, including the introduction of printmaking.

Key objects

Arctic Expressions features 15 works from the British Museum collection, with highlights including:

• Kenojuak Ashevak (1927–2013), Nunavut Qajanartuk (Our Beautiful Land). Hand-drawn lithograph on woven paper, 1992. One of the most acclaimed Inuit artists, Kenojuak Ashevak was from the Kinngait community, internationally recognised for its art and printmaking. The six seasons of the Inuit calendar are presented, illustrating how transportation, housing, clothing and animal relationships change with the seasons and how community life is intricately connected to climate. Printed by the West Baffin Eskimo Cooperative, the work was commissioned by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada to commemorate the 1990 signing of the Inuit Land Claim Agreement in Principle. This was a significant step in the creation of Nunavut, an independent, Inuit-run territory since 1999.

• Wooden seal decoy helmet made by Northwest Coast Peoples, Alaska, United States, pre-1780. Seals hold profound spiritual and cultural significance for Inuit. They have traditionally been an abundant source of food and materials, including fur, skin, and oil for lamps and waterproofing. This helmet would act as a decoy, allowing the wearer to go undetected, appearing as a playful seal to the pursued animal. It was collected during Captain James Cook's final voyage to North America between 1776 and 1780.

• Erin Ggaadimits Ivalu Gingrich, Shedding Natchiayaaq from Kigiktaq. Basswood, glass, acrylic, 2024. This carved wooden mask in the form of a seal face with draped beadwork represents the adjustment of camouflage in seal skin from infancy to youth, where the animals change from being the colour of snow to that of water and ice. Ice sheets play a critical role as homes and nurseries for Arctic ice seals and they are directly tied to this particular environment. To transform in this way is a step into survival, growth and maturity.

• Paul Toolooktook (1947–2003), Family Reuniting. Steatite, c. 1990. This is a striking example of the minimalist yet powerful style of Nunavut soapstone carvings. Despite simplicity of form and plainly etched faces, Toolooktook captures movement, emotion and connection, while also conveying the padded textures of the figures' clothing.

Sarah Saunders, Head of Learning and National Partnerships at the British Museum, said: 'This poignant and inspiring exhibition has been developed as part of the British Museum in your classroom programme, which gives children and teachers agency to develop inspiring learning experiences and outcomes in collaboration with experts at their local museum and the British Museum. We hope that by engaging directly with these artworks and objects in their school, virtually and through the exhibition, the children and wider audiences will feel more connected to the culture, environment and artistry of Indigenous Peoples in the Arctic.'

Rose Taylor, Curator of Americas at the British Museum, said: 'It has been fantastic to partner with Kirkleatham Museum to present an exhibition that will introduce audiences to the cultural, geographic and artistic history of Indigenous Peoples in Alaska and Canada. Visitors will have the opportunity to see work from some of the most acclaimed Inuit artists, and we are excited to present new artwork from Alaska Native artist Erin Ggaadimits Ivalu Gingrich. These works tell important stories about life in this changing region, conveying the enduring connection between people, their environments and the animals they share them with.'

Cllr Carrie Richardson, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Climate and Culture at Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council, said: 'It is wonderful that our team at Kirkleatham Museum and our schools have this opportunity to work with experts at one of the most prestigious museums in the world. The exhibition will offer a fascinating insight into the diverse lives and cultures of Arctic Indigenous Peoples and I'm sure it will attract visitors from across the region. It's very exciting to have an exhibition like this at Kirkleatham Museum and I'm sure the school children lucky enough to take part in the educational programme will remember it for many years to come.'

Arctic Expressions will run from 7 June – 28 September 2025 at Kirkleatham Museum, Redcar.



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