Transformation scenes are delighted topics among Inuit artists as well as Inuit art collectors. There is so many different transformations depicted in art from the Arctic and each of them is unique. Many artists depict transformation scenes into carving, drawing or print such as Nick Sikkuak, Matiusi Ayaituk, Simon Tukumi, Alasau Sharky, Joe Ikidlak, Maudie Ohitook, Tukiki Manumi, Markusie Papigatok, Napachie Ashoona. Carving or drawing a transformation scene could be consisting in depicting different parts of animals’ and humans’ bodies put together to form a new creature. But it is not easy as it looks like !

Transformations are strong meaningful topics in reference to Inuit cosmology and shamanism. According to Inuit people, the universe (silajjuaq) is organized around three worlds : one where live human beings (humans, animals, vegetables); another one inhabited by dead animals or humans ; and, a last one occupied by spirits (tuurnngait). Theses three worlds are different but inter-penetrating and the shaman serves as intermediary between these worlds thus maintaining the balance. He can be helped by protector auxiliary spirits  - tuurnngait - to realize this task; they get to the shaman strength and power. (see this blog on May 8^th, 2008)

The conception of the Inuit world represents a continuum, where each element is a part of a whole. Each human being can change his/her own body then integrates a new one, animal or human. This time could be one kind of transformation scene depicted into carving or drawing; but it is not the only one. Much artists today don’t know much about shamanism as they didn’t experimented it themselves, except the elders.  Artistic depictions linked to shamanism are however still important today since Inuit elders pass on traditional stories to young generations through orality and art.

The power of transformation expresses itself on many Inuit stories and myths from Alaska, Greenland and Canada. We could remember the story of Uinigumasuittuq, « the one who didn’t get married » : deceived by a dog who turned into a human : she married him, got children mid-dog mi-human who gave birth to White, Native and Inuit people (see this blog on May 27^th, 2008).

Another myth talks significantly about transformation: this is  the story of the Sun and the Moon, such as this version collected in 1899 by Edward Nelson in Alaska (McDonald, 1998 : 272).

In a coast village once lived a man and his wife who had two children, a girl and a boy. When these children grew large enough, so that the boy could turn over the gravel stone, he became in love with his sister. Being constantly importuned by the boy, his sister finally, to avoid him, floated away into the sky and became the moon. The boy has pursued her ever since, becoming the sun, and sometimes overtakes and embraces her, thus causing an eclipse of the moon.

References

MacDonald, 1998, The Arctic sky : Inuit astronomy, star lore, and legend, Iqaluit :  Nunavut Research Institute.

Saladin d’Anglure, Bernard (ed.), 2002, Interviewing Inuit Elders. Inuit cosmology and shamanism, Iqaluit : Nunavut Arctic College.

The new Kinngait (Cape Dorset) 2009 prints collection has just arrived down south and is now available in our gallery !

The 2009 collection of Kinngait count thirty six prints, made out of different techniques of making prints : stonecut, lithograph, serigraph, aquatint, etching, stencil. Itee Pootoogook, Kananginak Pootoogook, Kavavaow Mannomee, Kenojuak Ashevak, Mayoreak Ashoona, Ningeokuluk Teevee, Ohotaq Mikkigak, Pitaloosie Saila, Suvinai Ashoona, Tim Pitsiulak made the original drawings ; and, Kavavaow Mannomee,  Niviaksie Quvianaqtuliaq, Pitseolak Niviaqsi and Qiatsuq Niviaqsi realized the prints.

A 2009 special releases is added to the thirty six prints, with drawings made by Kenojuak Ashevak, Meelia Kelly and Pudlo Pudlat when Kavavaow Mannomee, Kooyoo Simiga and Iyola Kingwatsiak made the prints.

These prints show how the artistic sphere from the Canadian Arctic is still dynamic with the artworks made by Inuit elders and younger artists. Although many birds are well represented by the artists in the 2009 collection, all of them are different through their subjects (it could be snow owls, loons, geese, ptarmigans, ducks or ravens), theirs styles and the way of drawing them.

Other Arctic animals are not only illustrated as caribous, muskox, seals, walrus, polar bears, whales and fishes, but also landscapes and myths from the oral tradition. Each print is unique and reveals drawers’ and printmakers’ know-how, with their own artistic  styles.

Celebrating 50th anniversary of making prints in Kinngait

Kinngait, an Inuit community located in Nunavut more known as Cape Dorset (its English name) and commonly called “Dorset”, is well-known as the artistic capital among Inuit circumpolar territories (Alaska, Canada and Greenland) on the international art market.

This year, its inhabitants, called Kinngaimmiut, celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative’s establishment. The Co-operative was established in 1959 by Inuit people who lived in Kinngait, in order to organize and control the artworks’ distribution on the international artistic sphere, but also to give income to the artists and locally share the profit of sold prints; all Kinngaimmiut would enjoy.

Thus, the new 2009 Kinngait prints collection coincide with the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative’s fiftieth anniversary. In order to underline this event, an exhibition takes place at the National museum of Canada from October 2009 to January 2010 : « Uuturautiit: Cape Dorset Celebrates 50 Years of Printmaking ».

Link :

http://www.gallery.ca/english/592.htm

http://www.inuitartzone.com/fr/exposition/29/calabrons-50-ans-les-gravures-de-cape-dorset-1959-2009.html

References :

Ryan, Leslie Boyd, 2007, Cape Dorset prints, a retrospective : fifty years of printmaking at the Kinngait studios, San Francisco, Pomegranate.

West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative, 2009, Cape Dorset prints. Celebrating 50, 1959-2009, catalogue annuel d’estampe de Cape Dorset 2009.

(Please, contact us to get these books)

Have you ever seen a dancing bear represented into carving, print or drawing by an Inuit artist ? Of course you did and it is not surprising because in Inuit art, dancing bear is the most popular iconographic subject. We can see so many artworks illustrating dancing bears on the international art market !  But what does it mean ?

The dancing bear : its signification

There is not only one explanation about the dancing bear through Inuit art and culture. Actually, the most popular signification of this topic is linked to shamanism and spirits world. According to the Inuit thought, the universe is inhabited by human beings (humans, animals, vegetables), deceased’s and spirits (tuurnngait) each who live in different but inter-penetrating worlds. Every human being is provided with an anirniq “breathing, breath of life ” which, when the subject dies integrates a new animal or human body. The conception of the Inuit world represents a continuum, where every element is a part of a whole.

The shaman serves as intermediary between these various worlds and maintains the balance. She/he can travel from a world to the other one, flying through the air or water,  thus entering communication with the deceased’s or spirits’ world as she/he can change its appearance and be human and animal at the same time… This is what we called the shaman’s transformation.

The shaman can be helped by protector auxiliary spirits - tuurnngait - to realize this task; they get to the shaman strength and power. The polar bear could be one of these tuurnngait and while the shaman is calling him, she/he is playing drums and dancing. Most of the time, when Inuit artists represent a dancing bear, this is precisely the moment when the shaman and the bear are getting connected thus, their spirit and their body merging together.

Its origin in contemporary art

In historical perspective, the first dancing bear was carved by Pauta Saila, a talented artist who lived and worked in Kinngait (Cape Dorset) in Nunavut. Born in December 1917 and recently passed away (June 2009), he lived with his second wife Pitalusi Saila, a well-known graphic artist.

Pauta Saila produced a wonderful variety of subjects in carving, drawing and print. He realized his first dancing bear carving in the middle of the 1950s. Quickly, art collectors were captivated by this kind of topic and the demand on the international art market grew up.  Today, so many artists from every Inuit communities carve or draw dancing bears as well as dancing caribous or belugas such as Moe Putuguq, Michael Samayuallie, Padlaya Qitasuk, Johnny Papigatok, Mattiusie Tunillie, Ottokie Ashoona, Kananginak Putuguq…

Link :

http://www.tradition-orale.ca/default.html

Kangiqliniq is an Inuit community located on the West coast of Hudson Bay. Kangiqliniq means in Inuktitut «the bay» and Rankin Inlet is its English name : the town was named by owners of the Rankin Inlet Mine which produced nickel and copper ore there between 1957 and 1962. The mine was the more important miners’ employer in Canadian Arctic.

Kangiqliqniq is a major governmental centre in Nunavut. In the 1995 Nunavut Capital Plebiscite, Iqaluit defeated Kangiqliniq to become territorial capital of Nunavut. As of the 2006 census, the population was 2358, an increase of 8.3% from the 2001 census (Statistic Canada).

Kangiqlinirmiut (people who live in Kangiqliniq) share their artistic production between ceramics, carvings, prints, drawings, watercolours and bronze castings.  Whereas sculptural and graphic arts started to develop in the 1950s, the first ceramics workshop opened in 1963 and run until 1977. The current workshop was opened in the 1990s by a new generation of artists.

Sculptors such as George Arlook, John Tiktak, Hunter Toonoo, work with steatite and serpentine (hard grey stone and black stone) as well as ivory and in ceramics; they are widely admired for his sculptural representations of the human form and face and organic shapes. Their artistic creations illustrate traditional themes in innovative ways.

Link :

http://www.rankininlethotel.com/rankin-inlet-inuit-art.htm

Kuujjuaraapik is the most southern Inuit community in Canada, located on the west coast of Nunavik in Northern Quebec. Kuujjuaraapik is known by different names as people from different languages and cultures lived and still live today there : it was called Kuujjuaraapik « the little great river » in Inuktitut, Whapmagootsi « where there are whales» in the Cree language and Great Whale in English (translated into French by Poste-de-la-Baleine).

The village started to develop in the late 1930s. During World War II, the United States built in Kuujjuarapik a military base and airport, which they turned over to the Canadian government in 1948. This base was also the control station of the Mid-Canada Line, a line of military radar stations constructed in 1955 from the Atlantic Ocean to the Hudson Bay along the 55th parallel.

At this time, Kuujjuaraapik was the most important community in the Hudson Bay area. The population of Kuujjuarapik decreased significantly however in 1985 when many families, fearing the negative impacts of the Great Whale River hydro-electric project, decided to relocate to Umiujaq, another Inuit community about 160 km north of Kuujjuarapik. Thus by 2006, a census of 568 inhabitants with 165 families was taken (Statistics Canada).

The art making such as carving and sewing started to expand when the Hudson’s Bay Company opened a trading post called Great Whale River in 1820 on the site of today’s Kuujjuarapik. The main activities at the post were processing whale products of the commercial whale hunt and trading furs, but carvings were often exchanged for tools.

By the late 1960s, carving making grew up and more and more carving were sold down South through the Fédération des Coopératives du  Nouveau Québec (established in 1967 to provide the growing co-operative movement with more effective powers and services to help attain their vision : atautsikut/together -  working to develop as a people, leaving none behind»).

Certain artists became very famous on the international art scene thanks their  carvings, printmaking  and drawings depicting more often animals and myths into a strong style  : not much detailed composition but simple lines with the main characteristics of their topics.

Josie Napartuk (1901-1980), his son Henry Ainalik Napartuk (1932-1985) as well as Lucy  Meeko (1929-2004) were renown for their carvings and print makings. Today, there is just a few number of artists in the community such as Alec Lawson Tuckatuck (1976-) who carves from soapstone, caribou antler, muskox horn, walrus tusks (he has his own website : http://www.inuitstonecarving.com/about_me.html). Lizzie Amiaku Papialuk (1941-) and Emily Novalinga (1954-) make coiled grass baskets.

To learn more about Kuujuaraapik :

http://www.nvkuujjuaraapik.ca/

http://www.nunavik-tourism.com/page.aspx?page_id=74

http://www.inuulitsivik.ca/b_kuujjuarapik_e.htm

Inujjuaq, « the giant»  in Inuktitut (formerly Port Harrison), is an Inuit community located in Nunavik (Northern Quebec) on the south west coast of the Hudson Bay. By 2006, a census of 1597 inhabitants and 335 families was taken in Inujjuaq ; the median age of the population is 23.8 years old (Statistics Canada).

In Inujjuaq, the Daniel Weetaluktuk Museum exhibits a collection of Inuit arts and crafts as well as traditional tools, hunting and fishing gear. Bas-relief sculptures depicting day-to-day life in an Inuit community are permanently on exhibit at the Innalik School lobby.

Carving

Famous carvers such as Juani Akuliak (1951-), Elisapi Inukpuk (1938-), Charlie Inukpuk (1941-), Noah Arpatuq Echalook (1946-), Lucassie Qumaaluk Echalook (1942-) work in Inujjuaq. Isa Paddy Aqiattusuk (1898-1954), Jimmy Inurali Arnamissak (1946-2003), Johny Manumi Inukpuk (1911-2007), Paulusie Kasudluak (1928-2000) were those who first  started carving in the community thus, giving to its artmaking a certain fame.

Jewelry

On March, 2009 – Aumaaggiivik Nunavik Arts Secretariat, a new department at Avataq Cultural Institue to support and nurture the artists of Nunavik, officially kicked off activities earlier this month with a pilot training project in Inukjuak. The Inukjuak Jewelry Project began the first of two 8-week training modules on March 2, 2009. Inukjuak artists will learn the aesthetic, technical and cultural aspects of high-end jewelry-making. The goal is to create an inspiring and dynamic learning environment that supports open exchange among carvers and jewellers.

The Inukjuak Jewelry Project was made possible thanks to the long-term loan of a building in Inukjuak owned by Makivik Corporation as well as contributions from Kativik Regional Government’s Diversification Fund and Employment and Training program, and Kativik Local Development’s Socio-Economic Fund. The course and workshop space were designed by Montreal media artist Catherine Béchard, a former jeweller with extensive experience in Northern communities, in collaboration with Bruna Mastroianni of Kativik School Board. Students from Nunavimmi Pigiursavik Adult Education Centre participated in the building renovations. Instructor Linda Brown will work with artists Joanasie Elijassiapik, Andrew Nulukie, Laina Nulukie, Eva Lucy Inukpuk, Inuksiak Arnamissak, Elijah Tukai, Jeffrey Kasudluak, and Clara Kasudluak.

Sources :

www.nvinukjuak.ca/  

www.avataq.qc.ca/    

www.nunavik-tourism.com       

Formerly known as Lake Harbour, the name of the «Kimmirut» hamlet  means “form of heels” in Inuktitut linked to a marble outcrop located opposite the community. By 2006, a census of 411 inhabitants with 225 males and 180 females was taken in Kimmirut; the median age is 22.1 years old (Statistics Canada). The community is located 120 km down South from Iqaluit, on Baffin Island in Nunavut.

Many nomadic Inuit families took up permanent residence in Kimmirut during the 1950s and 1960s and people in the community remain a relatively traditional life thus, participating in hunting and traditional arts and crafts activities. Buildings from this early era, including the first RCMP post (1915), the Hudson’s Bay Company buildings and the Anglican Church are still standing.

Carving

Local green soapstone and serpentine soapstone are often used by the Kimmirut artists; there is a soapstone quarry located near Kimmirut. Some sculptors work with ivory. They often produce scrimshaw etchings on the ivory. Some of them carve also caribou antlers.

Famous artists born in post camps near Kimmirut, such as  Eliyah Michael, Iola Ikkidluak, Temela Aqpik, Shorty Killiktee, Davidee Ittulu or Anu Arlooktoo carve with stone, ivory and caribou antler, thus carving animal subjects (birds, bears, seals, whales), hunting scenes, drum dancers and traditional Inuit myths. Their naturalistic style earned a strong reputation on the international art market

Sources :

http://kimmirut.ca/about/About.html

http://www.kimmirut.com/kimmirut-inuit-artists.htm  

The name Arviat is derived form the inuktitut arviq meaning «whales». Arviat, called formerly Eskimo Point until June, 1989 is the southern most community in Nunavut, located on the western shore of the Hudson Bay in the Kivalliq area. By 2006, a census of  2060 inhabitants was taken in Arviat ; 1055 people is aged 19 years old or less ; 455  private dwellings are occupied by residents; 95% are Inuit (Statistics Canada).

Carving production began in the early 1960’s, and artists soon earned a reputation for their distinctive style as they use a rough, local stone called steatite (popularly known as soapstone).  Some artists who come from Arviat or who live there are well know on the international art market as their artworks are kept by famous museums in Canada like the Winnipeg Art Gallery, the Canadian Museum of Civilizations and the National Gallery of Canada.

Arviat steatite carving deals almost exclusively with family and maternal theme like works made by John Attok (1906-1980), Andy Miki (1918-1983) and John Pangnark (1920-1980).  Details of anatomy and clothing are usually stripped away so that some works seem to be almost abstract in form and could be described as “minimalist”. Lucy Tasseor Tutsweetok (1934-) focuses on  the larger themes of family and community in her carving works; she is now probably the most famous artist from Arviat.

Other artists, such as Daniel Alareak (1964-), carve from caribou antler thus, exploring  variety of subjects, including shamanism and  hunting. More recently, Daniel Alareak has made jewellery since 1994, working with walrus tusk ivory, and is now incorporating metal into some of his jewellery pieces.

On the other hand, women in Arviat make wall hangings which traditionally show caribou skin figures with faces carved from bone or antler. Dolls with soapstone or dried sealskin faces, are also made by artists Martina Anoee and Alice Akkamuk.

Arviat Hamlet also holds: the Margaret Aniksak Visitors Centre where are exhibited traditional Inuit life and artefacts from the Arvia’juaq archaeological site; the Arviat Sivulinut Elders Society which offers instruction in string games, throat singing and holds traditional cookouts of caribou heads, hooves for example ; a Kiluk Sewing Centre which offers local art and crafts for sale and the Ulimaut Carving Shop provides a workspace for carvers in Arviat.

Reference :

Winnipeg Art Gallery, 1982. Eskimo Point/Arviat, Winnipeg Winnipeg : Art Gallery.

Hessel, Ingo, 1990. « Arviat stone sculpture: born of a struggle with an uncompromising medium», Inuit Art Quarterley, 5 (1): 4-15.

http://www.arviathotel.com/arviat-inuit-art.htm

Ulukhaqtuuq, « where we sew» in Innuinaqtun (Inuktitut dialect), is an Inuit community located on the west side of the Victoria Island in the Northwest Territories in the Canadian Arctic.  A population of 398 ulukhaqtuurmiut including 105 families live there (2006 census, Statistics Canada). Ulukhaqtuuq (formerly Holman in English) was established in 1939 when a Hudson’s Bay Post and a Roman Catholic mission were erected. By 1966, the community outgrew its original site on King’s bay and moved to its present location in Queen’s Bay.

Printmaking

Ulukhaqtuuq is the only Western Arctic community with a printmaking program. This artistic practice came about in response to the growing need for economic development at first, such as other Inuit communities in the Canadian Arctic. Inuit artists and Father Henri Tardy, a priest who ran the Catholic mission at Holman from 1949 to the early 1980s, were inspired by the success of the arts and crafts enterprises in other Arctic communities like Kinngait and Panniqtuuq. In Nunavut and Puvirnituq in Nunavik, in order to form the Holman Eskimo Co-operative in 1961.

By the 1960’s, the artists in Ulukhaqtuuq used several printmaking techniques : acid-free etching, lithography, stencil, stonecut, woodcut. Initially, sealskin was used to produce stencils. Since 198, the main techniques have been stencilling and lithography which allow for the detailed, naturalistic depictions that are now the main interest of Ulukhaqtuuq artists.

Traditional subjects as hunting scenes, oral myths and past daily life are depicted by famous artists from Ulukhaqtuuq as : Flossie Papilluq (1904-1994), Mona Ohoveluk (1935-1892), Agnès Nanogak Goose (1925-2001), Alec Aliknak Banksland (1928-1998), Stanley Ilonak Klengenberg (1964-1999), Patrick Akovak Klenbengerg (1944-1976), Helen Kalvak (1901-1984), Mark Emerak (1901-1983), Victor Ekootak (1916-1965).

Harry Igutaq (1925-), Mabel Ninngiuq (1938-), Mary K. Okheena (1957-), Peter Palvik (1960-), Louie Nigiyok (1960-), Roberta Memogana (1971-), Susie Malgokak (1955-), Peter Malgokak (1954-),  Elsie Klengenberg (1946-), William Kagyut (1919-), Trex Kangoak Goose (1965-), Julia Manoyok  Ekpakohak (1968-), Harry Egotak (1925-) are artists who make drawings and prints with vivid colours and sophisticated compositions. Some of them also make sculptures even if this practice is not very developped in Ulukhaqtuuq. 

Reference :

Coward-Wight, D. (ed.), 2001. Holman, forty years of graphic art / Holman, quarante ans d’art graphique. Winnipeg: Winnipeg Art Gallery.

http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Holman/english/artists/index.php3

Qamanittuaq « where the river widens» in Inuktitut, is located in the Kivalliq area in Nunavut, 320 km inland from the Hudson Bay. Qamanittuq, formerly Baker Lake until 1977, is the Canadian Arctic’s sole inland community.  By 2006, a census of 1728 inhabitants and 450 families was taken in Qamanittuaq ; 47% of the population is aged between 0 and 24 years old (Statistics Canada).

The Sanavik Co-operative

The Sanavik Co-operative was incorporated one year after the release of Qamanittuaq’s first print collection in 1970.  A disastrous fire in 1977 destroyed the print shop, as well as the archive of drawings and the entire print collection for the next year. The co-op rallied, and within a month had begun work of a new collection. After several years of financial difficulties, the print shop was forced to close after releasing the 1990 collection.

Beginning in 1996, a graphic program sponsored by the Nunavut Arctic College permitted the release of new experimental collection.  Added to the artistic production, Sanavik’s activities include a hotel, retail store, cable TV, post office, video rentals and property rentals.

Printmaking, Carving, Wall Hanging

The most frequently used printmaking techniques in Qamanittuaq is stonecut and stencil, often in combination, supplemented in later years by serigraphy, linocut and woodcut. Textile art is also practiced by women like Jessie Urnaq, Janet Kigusiuq and Irene Avaalaaqiaq who sew wall hanging from drawings, as a natural extension of their work preparing skin and using them to sew clothing. Not much carvers work in Qamanittuaq.

Because Qamanittuaq is located inland, the iconographic subjects, both in graphic and sculptural domains feature caribou and muskoxen rather than marine mammals (whale, beluga, walrus and seal), the Kiviuk myth rather than the Takanaaluk or Uinigumasuittuq (Sedna) story.

Traditional myths are very popular among Qamanittuaq’s artists such as drawers and printmakers : Simon Tukumi (Tookoomi), Victoria Mamnguqsualuk, William Noah, Irene Avalaaqiaq, Luke Anguhadluk, Jessie Urnaq (Oornak), Janet Kigusiuq as well as carvers like Jonhy Iquliq, Tuna Iqulik, Matthew Agigaaq, Nancy Atpanik, David Toolooktook and Barnabus Arnasunngaq.

Sanavik Co-operative :

http://inuit.pail.ca/sanavik-co-op.htm

References :

Nasby, Judith. (2002). Irene Avaalaaqiaq. Myth and Reality. Montréal: McGill-University Press.

Hessel, Ingo. (1998). Inuit Art : an Introduction. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre.