Sukkulaluk Akesuk

SUQUALUK AKESUK   (SHOOQUALOO)

Born:  March 3, 1959       Male       E7-1669

Resides:  Iqaluit; also lived in Cape Dorset, Salluit and Catherine Bay

Sculpture

Suqualuk Akesuk (also known as Shooqualoo) was born on March 3, 1959, in the community of Cape Dorset, Baffin Island, Northwest Territories. He presently resides back and forth between Iqaluit and Cape Dorset. He also used to live in Salluit. Suqualuk is the adopted son of Cape Dorset artists Simaiyok and Latcholassie Akesuk. The latter is the son of Cape Dorset sculptor Tudlik. Suqualuk's adopted sister, Milutituk Petaulassie, is also a sculptor.

Suqualuk's favourite subject matter are beluga whales, often diving, and birds, especially ptarmigan. He is able to capture the movement and vitality as he sees them first hand. His carvings are naturalistically rendered, with smooth and flowing curves and subtle details.

Suqualuk carves his sculpture out of serpentine, a very hard metamorphic rock indigenous to Lower Baffin Island. This stone has a composition very similar to Jade and its colour varies from light green to dark brown or black, due to inclusion of other minerals.

EXHIBITIONS:

       April 1988                           [L'art inuit]

                                                   Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai         

                                                   at Palais de L'Europe, Le Touquet                

                                                   France

       July 1988                            [L'art inuit]

                                                   Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai         

                                                   at Chapelle de la Visitation, Thonon              

                                                   France

       April - June 1995               The Birds of Cape Dorset:

                                                   32 Cape Dorset Carvers                           

                                                   Albers Gallery                                   

                                                   San Francisco, California, U.S.A.

                                                   (illustrated brochure)