National Museum of the American Indian

The Arctic Circle records, 1967-1987

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAI.AC.004
Creators:
The Arctic Circle (Gallery: Los Angeles, Calif.)
Dates:
1967-1987
bulk 1971-1986
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
634 Slides (photographs)
152 Photographs
1.6 Linear feet
Repository:
The Arctic Circle records include materials gathered by Bert and Ellen Witt for their private gallery of Inuit art The Arctic Circle. These materials include native artists information which is organized by community, reference material organized topically, slides from the gallery's annual print collections as well as photographs of scupltures and textiles displayed in the gallery. Much of the reference material used by the gallery pertains to native communities in the Nunavet Territory of Canada such as Cape Dorset and Baker Lake as well as other small communities throughout the Northwest Territiories. Additionally photographs taken by Bert and Ellen Witt's son Tony during a trip to Canada in 1973 are included in this collection.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The Arctic Circle records include materials gathered by Bert and Ellen Witt for their private gallery of Inuit art The Arctic Circle. These materials include native artists information which is organized by community, reference material organized topically, slides from the gallery's annual print collections as well as photographs of scupltures and textiles displayed in the gallery. Much of the reference material used by the gallery pertains to native communities in the Nunavet Territory of Canada such as Cape Dorset and Baker Lake as well as other small communities throughout the Northwest Territiories. Additionally photographs taken by Bert and Ellen Witt's son Tony during a trip to Canada in 1973 are included in this collection.

Arrangement

Arrangement
This collection is arranged into three series: Series 1: Papers, 1971-1980, Series 2: Reference Materials, 1967-1987, Subseries 2.1: Artists Listed by Community, 1971-1984, undated, Subseries 2.2: Reference Library, 1967-1987, undated, Series 3: Photographs, 1971-1987, Subseries 3.1: Gallery Objects, 1979-1987, Subseries 3.2: Witt Family Arctic Trip, 1973, Subseries 3.3: Other Photos, 1971, 1975
  • Series 1: Papers, 1971-1980
  • Series 2: Reference Materials, 1967-1987
  • Subseries 2A: Artists Listed by Community, 1971-1984, undated
  • Subseries 2B: Reference Library, 1967-1987, undated
  • Series 3: Photographs, 1971-1987
  • Subseries 3A: Gallery Objects, 1979-1987
  • Subseries 3B: Witt Family Arctic Trip, 1973
  • Subseries 3C: Other Photos, 1971, 1975

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
The Arctic Circle was founded in Los Angeles in 1970 as a private art gallery devoted entirely to the exhibition and sale of scupltures and graphics by Inuit artists of the Canadian arctic. Between 1970 and the late 1980's approximately six to eight exhibitions were mounted on themes illustrative of native life in the Canadian arctic. The gallery was created and founded by Bert and Ellen Witt and run out of their home on North La Jolla Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Bert Witt, sometimes accompanied by his wife Ellen and son Tony, traveled extensively in the Canadian arctic visiting many Inuit communities and forming personal aquaintances with native artists. Through the Artic Circle, Witt supported the Arctic co-operative movement by purchasing art through co-ops in each settlement he visited or through the co-op distribution points for the Northwest Territories and Arctic Quebec.

Administration

Author
Rachel Menyuk
Processing Information
Processed by Rachel Menyuk, Archives Technician in 2012.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The archival material in this collection accompanied a donation to NMAI by Bert and Ellen Witt in 2001 that included sculptures, drawings, prints and textiles. An additional three photographs were donated by Bert Witt in 2004.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Use
Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. Permission to publish or broadbast materials from the collection must be requested from National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center. Please submit a written request to nmaiarchives@si.edu.
Conditions Governing Access
Access to NMAI Archive Center collections is by appointment only, Monday - Friday, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Please contact the archives to make an appointment (phone: 301-238-1400, email: nmaiarchives@si.edu).
Preferred Citation
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Collection Title, Box and Folder Number; National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center, Smithsonian Institution.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Photographs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Articles Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Inuit (Canadian Eskimo) Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Slides Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Arctic Region -- photographs Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Inuit art -- 20th century -- Exhibitions Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cape Dorset (Nunavut) Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art galleries, Commercial -- California -- Los Angeles Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Brochures Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Baker Lake (Nunavut) Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Clippings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Witt, Ellen, 1917-2007 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Witt, Bert Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Arluk, George, 1949- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Pudlo, 1916-1992 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ashevak, Karoo, 1940- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Pitseolak, Peter, 1902-1973 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

National Museum of the American Indian
4220 Silver Hill Rd
Suitland, Maryland 20746-2863
nmaiarchives@si.edu