Arctic Expressions
Exhibition
Kirkleatham Museum, Redcar
7 June – 28 September 2025
Explore Indigenous artistry from the Arctic, reflecting the beauty and challenges of a changing environment.
The Arctic is home to around four million people across eight countries. More than 400,000 of these are Indigenous Peoples, who have lived in the Circumpolar North long before the creation of nations and borders. The Indigenous artistry in this region highlights both the challenges and complexities of living in Arctic environments, as well as the Arctic's beauty, vibrancy and spiritual significance.
Exploring life for Indigenous Peoples in North America's Arctic regions, Alaska and Canada, the exhibition shows how these resilient communities live with and adapt to socio-political and environmental changes, and how artistic expression is part of daily life.
Arctic Indigenous Peoples' material culture is rooted in everyday practices and storytelling traditions, often spiritually or figuratively intertwined with the animals and plants that inhabit the region. The exhibition will feature historic and contemporary works from the British Museum collection shown side by side, including a new artwork by Alaska Native artist Erin Ggaadimits Ivalu Gingrich titled Shedding Natchiayaaq from Kigiktaq, which represents a seal's transformation from infancy to youth.
Highlighting the interconnection of tradition, innovation and resilience, the exhibition will illustrate how life in the Arctic is steeped in artistic endeavours and cultural expressions.
Supported by the Dorset Foundation in memory of Harry M Weinrebe.
British Museum in your classroom
This exhibition is part of the British Museum in your classroom programme, developed in partnership with Tees Valley Museums.
The programme works with school children and teachers, bringing British Museum objects directly to schools.
This year, the programme has partnered with Green Gates Primary School in Redcar and Errington Primary School in Marske, offering children the opportunity to go on an educational journey to the Arctic through virtual lessons and hands-on experiences.
