Mosaiikkeina

Mosaiikkeina is a term used to describe mosaic works of art created by the Inuit, indigenous peoples of the Arctic, in Greenland and other surrounding regions. These mosaic artworks are often completed with small pieces of stone, shell, and other stone or natural materials arranged in a composition on a wooden base.

The use of mosaics in Inuit art is not a new tradition, dating back centuries when the community had limited access to more traditional forms of materials such as paint and oil. The craft is deeply rooted in Inuit culture and history, often used to tell stories of everyday life, ancestors, and mythical figures.

Many mosaics created by Inuit artists are made of "mosaiittor," a phrase used to describe the wide assortment of materials used in the artwork, comprising various colors and textures such as opaque and tinted stone, small rocks, and even ice. Their technique often involves dry-assembling of the materials onto a thin wooden or soapstone base, during which the artist carefully selects and integrates each individual item into an intricate composition.

Many modern Mosaiikkeina artworks have been produced in the past two decades, largely by a group of Greenlandic (Greenlander) artists based in Sisimiut, a coastal city in West Greenland. Their work focuses on preserving Inuit traditions and telling the story of contemporary human experience in a changing world.