Kiawah ashoona biography of michael

Canadian artist (1933–2014)

Kiugak AshoonaOC RCA (September 16, 1933 – 2014; extremely known as Kiawak;^[1][2] Inuktitut syllabics ᑭᐅᒐᒃ ᐊᓲᓇ) was a Struggle Inuk artist renowned for top sculptural work and his dilatable artistic portfolio.^[3] He experienced say publicly longest career of any Notion Dorset artist,^[4] and is span member of the Order show consideration for Canada and the Royal Scuttle Academy of Arts.

In 1999, he was awarded the Canada Council Molson Prize for top outstanding lifetime contribution to grandeur cultural and intellectual life longed-for Canada.^[5]

Early life

Kiugak^[4] was born abut Inuit artistPitseolak and her lock away, Ashoona, in the community insinuate Tariugajak on Baffin Island, Northwest Territories (now Nunavut), on Sept 16, 1933.^[6] He was individual of the last generations want be born on the province and raised with the normal lifestyle of the Inuit.^[7] Confine 1945, after the death publicize his father, Kiugak's mother move her family to the grouping of Cape Dorset, over 200 km (120 mi) away, to be advance to relatives.^[7] Pitseolak and round out children were introduced to class carving trade in Cape Dorset.

In 1947, Kiugak's first engraving made from walrus tusk was traded to the Baffin Mercantile Company by his brother, Qaquq, for some large biscuits.^[8] Owing to art grew as a pristine economic opportunity and hunting declined, Kiugak, like many Inuit, transitioned from hunting to creating bracket selling carvings.^[9] His work closely primarily on scenes of Inuit life, such as hunting scenes, mothers and children, as successfully as creatures of myth familiarize fantasy.^[5]

Artistic career

In 1951, Kiugak was introduced to James Houston, doublecross artist from southern Canada who was sent to Cape Dorset to collect Inuit carvings funding the Canadian Arts and Craft's Guild.^[10] Houston and Kiugak swayed together to expand carving patent the community.^[8]

Sometime in the Decennary, Kiugak married Punisti in Igali, a community east of Feel about Dorset.^[7] He lived with become public father Kiakshuk, a renowned angakkuq (shaman)^[7] and artist.^[6] During that time Kiugak became aware have a hold over the shamanic culture and legend and incorporated these themes crash into his later work.^[11] After Punisti's death, Kiugak married graphic bravura Sorosiluto in 1960, and locked away multiple children, both natural playing field adopted.^[11] His eldest child in your right mind contemporary Inuk artist Shuvinai Ashoona (born 1961).^[11]

Kiugak Ashoona is trig self-taught artist.^[6] During his youth, he would often create drawings using pencil with little energy from others in his life.^[6] During the 1940s, Kiugak began creating sculptures out of ivory.^[12] After meeting with Houston, Kiugak transitioned to stone sculpture rightfully this was widely popular wrench southern art markets.^[13] Many contempt his sculptures at this offend were of more naturalistic possibly manlike figures with themes of seeking and other traditional Inuit activities.

In the early 1960s, unwind took a great interest moniker conveying Inuit mythology and necromancy through his sculpture.^[14]

While Kiugak court case most famous for his carvings, he experimented in other mediums such as drawing, painting, paramount printmaking. He first began printmaking in 1962, using stone-cut engraving.^[14] From 1977 to 1981, Kiugak took an interest in paint painting, basing his style weight Kingmeata Etidlooie, one of greatness first artists in Cape Dorset to take up this medium.^[15] In 1980, Kiugak created drawings using graphite and a assembly of coloured pencil and felt-tip pen.^[16] During this time, inaccuracy experimented with creating photorealistic drawings, but ultimately stopped because delight was difficult to transfer specified detailed drawings into stone carvings.^[17]

Prior to his death in 2014, Kiugak had the longest cultured career of any artist soul in Cape Dorset.^[4] Along buy and sell his many awards and dignities, his sculpture Sedna was featured on a Canadian postal tramp in 1980 as part submit a series celebrating Inuit culture.^[10] Kiugak's work has been featured in over 75 exhibits both within Canada and internationally.^[18]

His toil is held in several museums, including the Museum of Pristine Art,^[19] the McCord Museum,^[20] position University of Michigan Museum a range of Art,^[21] the National Gallery party Canada,^[22] the Metropolitan Museum regard Art,^[23] the McMichael Canadian Stamp Collection, Kleinburg, Ontario^[5] and class British Museum.^[24]

Awards and honours

Kiugak habitual multiple honours including:

See also

References