"Yua : Spirit of the Arctic presents a selection of works from the Thomas G. Fowler Collection of Eskimo and Inuit Art, a group of 390 objects and prints that were given to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco as a bequest in 2006. The publication explores a variety of themes that are embodied in the diverse collection, highlighted in over eighty color plates. Through a selection of beautifully decorated utilitarian objects, it presents a glimpse into the historic lifeways of Yup'ik and Inupiaq people of western Alaska and reveals the interwoven nature of the spiritual and the quotidian. Ancient figurines carved from walrus ivory form the basis for a discussion about the pre-historic Okvik, Punuk, and Thule cultures of the Bering Strait region. A survey of works made for foreign consumption facilitates a discussion about the historical trends of collecting and displaying art from the Arctic region, from sixteenth-century European explorers to nineteenth-century ethnographers and twentieth-century gallerists. Historic masks and regalia are contemporized and enlivened through a personal account about Yup'ik dancing from performer Chuna McIntyre. These essays are punctuated by Artist Highlights that feature the work and words of internationally recognized artists David Ruben Piqtoukun, Abraham Anghik Ruben, Susie Silook, and Judas Ullulaq"-- Provided by publisher.