Abstract

ABSTRACT
Inuit Art as Cultural Diplomacy between Canada and India
Sanaugavut: Inuit Art from the Canadian Arctic
On the 27th of September, 2010 an exhibition of Inuit Art entitled Sanaugavut: Inuit Art from the Canadian Arctic, organized by the National Gallery of Canada, opened at the National Museum of India. Canada gained visibility with the Indian public as well as an international audience as the inauguration of Sanaugavut coincided with the opening of the Commonwealth Games in India.
An exploration of Sanaugavut contributes to the understanding of the way that Inuit art, as an artform and through the medium of exhibition, has been used by the Canadian government in furthering political and economic aspirations. The focus of this thesis then, is the study of the use of Inuit art in cultural diplomacy internationally and specifically in the case of Sanaugavut, between Canada and India.
Cultural diplomacy can be defined as an opportunity to foster mutual understanding by presenting cultural knowledge and furthering an understanding of a nation. The opportunity is the essence of the ‘soft power’ of an exhibition - its ability to present the mood of the country, providing an awareness of the characteristics of its societies and a landscape in which its politics operate. Sanaugavut, as an example of soft-power, was used as a tool in the promotion of Canada’s nationhood.