Why is Inuit art expensive?
A. It really isnt if you consider all of the cost elements. Our perceived value is based on the economy we live in, where everything is mass produced, and therefore relatively inexpensive. If you were to pay a carver by the hour for all of the work entailed in creating a finished piece travel time to source and retrieve the stone, carve, finish, the cost of tools, air freight, insurance, packaging, etc., etc. – you would see that the art is not excessively priced. As with all art, the more artistic the piece and the more acclaimed the artist, the higher the price is.
A. It really isn’t if you consider all of the cost elements. Our perceived value is based on the economy we live in, where everything is mass produced, and therefore relatively inexpensive. If you were to pay a carver by the hour for all of the work entailed in creating a finished piece – travel time to source and retrieve the stone, carve, finish, the cost of tools, air freight, insurance, packaging, etc., etc. – you would see that the art is not excessively priced. As with all art, the more artistic the piece and the more acclaimed the artist, the higher the price is.
