Border crossings: The cultural brokerage and artistic practice of David Ruben Piqtoukun

This thesis examines contemporary Inuit artist David Ruben Pigtoukun's self-positioning as a cultural intermediary. By looking at Ruben's interactions with the art world in two different fora - exhibition and the web, I trace how his role as a "culture broker" transformed from its genesis within a colonial power structure to its current existence in a transnational context. Ruben initially worked in an art community that was part of a hierarchical nation-state structure, but globalizing factors have lead to a dispersal of power. Ruben collaborated with curator Darlene Wight and art dealer Harold Seidelman for the 1996 solo exhibit Between Two Worlds, and had an unprecedented degree of participation as an Inuit artist. Transnational tools, such as the internet, have provided Ruben with the means to gain control over his career. Various art world participants, such as museums and patrons, continue to play a role in Ruben's career, but no longer have as much influence.