Activities
Hunter with Two Bears, artist unknown
- Polar bears live in the north and are the most ferocious bears found in North America. Do these polar bears look ferocious? How would you describe them?
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In this sculpture the man is much larger than he would be in relation to full-grown polar bears. Why do you think this is? (The bears could be cubs, not full-grown bears. Or the hunter could be a giant!)
- An Inuit artist made this sculpture. To survive, the Inuit held
respect for the elements and the animals that live there. A successful
polar bear hunter received great recognition from his people for his
courage and skill. Polar bears were hunted for their useful hides and
their tasty meat. In this sculpture, the hunter appears to sneak up on
the bears, as if interrupting their conversation. What skills would a
hunter have to have to sneak up on polar bears?
(Patience, respect, courage,
knowledge of bear behaviour, skill in being quiet, knowledge of
himself)
-With a partner, practice “sneaking up” on each other. One person sits with his back to his partner, while the approaches from several feet away.
-The sitter turns around when he hears a sound.
-What gave the hunter away?
-Switch places and see how close you can get! -
This sculpture seems like a moment frozen in time. What do you think will happen next? Discuss, or write story describing what happened prior to this scene and how you think the scene will end.
- This sculpture is made up of many separate
elements that come together to tell a story. Can you name the elements
and what they are made of?
(The bears are made of ivory, the hunter is carved out of stone, he
holds a bow made of bone, with a piece of sinew attached. The base is
stone.)
-Create a class sculpture using plasticine and found objects. Decide on a scene and have a small group of students work together to create the base, which must be large enough to hold a small sculpture from each student.
-The other students work individually, each creating a sculpture that will be added to the whole.
-The process and finished product will demonstrate the community effort needed to survive in the harsh northern country. It will also reflect the variety of elements Inuit artists often use to portray their world.
Looking At: Bears in Art – BEARS – Whyte Museum – Contact Us