Geese and caribou by Aisa Amittu

Dimensions: 30 x 22 in.

Date: 1988

Aritst proof avaialble ( E/A) on 7 

Edition of 50 

woodcut

Aisa Amittu was a sculptor and printmaker from Puvirnituq, Nunavik. He learned to carve in his teens by watching his father, the renowned sculptor Davidialuk Alasua Amittu. Aisa Amittu created works that are grounded in a narrative, in particular focusing on Inuit mythologies and hunting practices. He was also known for combining several different themes and stories into one work [1].

In the late 1980s, Amittu created a series of linocut prints of Katjutaiyuk, a "frightening, bodyless monster with breasts as cheeks and a vulva as chin [2]." Katjutaiyuk Walking (1988/89) is a black and white print that depicts the creature walking along the snowy earth. Her shaggy hair covers most of her head/body. She has large eyes that sit just above her breasts, which form her cheeks. On her forehead and at the top of her cheeks are traditional Inuit tattoos. In another print, Katjutaiyuk is about to be captured. She is positioned with one leg straight out and looks as if she is about to kick the man standing in front of her. While the creature is described as frightening, Amittu's depiction of the exaggerated features and Katjutaiyuk's expressions seem humorous. Amittu's work has been exhibited across Canada and internationally in Germany and is held in the collections of the National Gallery of Canada and the Avataq Cultural Institute.