Peter Parr
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Peter Parr was native to Cape Dorset, NU and was here where he learnt to carve. This endeavor was both responsible for the distinction of his becoming a world famous artist. as well as the assertion of his eventual demise involving a tragic boating accident, leading to his death in 2012.
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His keen artistic background mostly emanates from his father - world famous Nuna Parr.
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The akin works between him and his father is analogous. You can see the palpable similarities and styles in their work. It is clear that Peter was under the apprenticeship of his father. Peter Parr's popularity has risen in recent years and was believed to eventually follow in his father's footsteps and become one of the world's best Inuit artists.
Well respected as an artist, his works are held in several public collections including the National Gallery of Canada and the Winnipeg Art Gallery. His bears reveal the artist's keen admiration and understanding of the animal's form and movements.
Parr has an uncanny ability to render both the massiveness and the quiet grace of the bear with surprising spirituality and form. The radical truncation of the bear's body creates visual ambiguity.
His stylish dancing bears and walruses project a whimsical like balance between spirit and mammal that captivates a fluid motion like none other. The overall composition of his works are harmonious in nature with much joy and happiness etched into the facial features. This is consistent with his father's teachings.
Several years ago, Peter Parr, 42, was pronounced dead at the health centre after spending several hours in the water clinging to a piece of ice. Parr, along with two others, were returning from the stone quarry in darkness and fog in the early morning on Aug. 26 when their boat capsized after hitting a piece of ice, stated police.
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Exhibitions
1997 Singing & Dancing & Playing, Feheley Fine Arts, Toronto, ON
1997 Inuit and the Sea, Canuit, Canadian Eskimo Art, Eindhoven, Netherlands
1997 Stone and Bone, The Inuit Master Carvers of the Canadian Arctic, The Northwest Company, The Sun Valley Center for Arts & Humanities, Ketchum, ID
1996 - 97 Beelden uit Arctica, Canuit, Canadian Eskimo Art, Venray, Netherlands
1995 The Next Generation, Orca Aart Gallery, Chicago, IL
1993 Sculpture and Graphics from Cape Dorset, Art Space Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
1993 Inuit Sculpture, Gallery Marie-Louise Wirth, Zurich, Switzerland
