Lypa Pitsiulak’s view about the artistic creation in the Canadian Arctic
I never learn how to speak English. Also, I was never taught how to be an artist, but I’m not a really good artist, but I have tried. [...] When I was a boy, I used to try to do carving. I only started drawing seriously when drawing was encouraged in Pangnirtung by Gary Magee.
Before that I used to try drawing on the window of my tent when there was frost. The window was made out of the dried intestine of a square flipper. I used my fingers for drawing different kinds of pictures. I never really thought about using pencil and paper as it was hard to get hold of paper to draw on.
I usually try do draw something that make sense, and to me drawing usually makes sense if you have experienced what you are drawing yourself. It might not make sense to someone else, but I draw what I have done. It seems to be all right to draw something even if it looks like sad, as long as it has actually happened. I have heard that all my drawings should look happy. I draw what I have gone through in my life, not just happiness.
I also like to do drawings of shamanism because I have heard about shamanism from my father. My father was living during the days when there was shamanism and I learned about it from him when he used to tell me stories.
I also do drawings of the Inuit and how they used to live. That way, the true inuit way of life can be seen more clearly through drawings or carvings. When you do these drawings, it really reminds you of that way of life. The picture might look like just a drawing, but in my mind it is following the old Inuit way of life and how they used to live.
When I go boating in the summer, I often get ideas for my work. When you’re travelling outdoors it reminds you of what kinds of things you should draw. That’s how I usually get ideas for my drawings.
(Excerpt translated by Jonah Kilabuk from Inuktitut into English in Panniqtuuq)
Lypa Pitsiulak who is a well known artist, was born on April 21, 1943 and moved to Panniqtuuq (Baffin Island, Nunavut) in 1967 where he lives, carves and draws.
Reference :
Pitsulak, Lypa, “My ideas come from up in the air”, in Latocki, B. (éd.),1983, Baffin Island. Winnipeg, The Winnipeg Art Gallery, pp. 11-19.
