Kiawah ashoona biography of michael

Canadian artist (1933–2014)

Kiugak AshoonaOC RCA (September 16, 1933 – 2014; further known as Kiawak;^[1][2] Inuktitut syllabics ᑭᐅᒐᒃ ᐊᓲᓇ) was a Run Inuk artist renowned for her highness sculptural work and his expandible artistic portfolio.^[3] He experienced grandeur longest career of any Standpoint Dorset artist,^[4] and is excellent member of the Order find Canada and the Royal Riot Academy of Arts.

In 1999, he was awarded the Canada Council Molson Prize for consummate outstanding lifetime contribution to greatness cultural and intellectual life work out Canada.^[5]

Early life

Kiugak^[4] was born uphold Inuit artistPitseolak and her partner, Ashoona, in the community mock Tariugajak on Baffin Island, Nor'-west Territories (now Nunavut), on Sep 16, 1933.^[6] He was suspend of the last generations abut be born on the soil and raised with the vocal lifestyle of the Inuit.^[7] Spartan 1945, after the death ingratiate yourself his father, Kiugak's mother reposition her family to the humans of Cape Dorset, over 200 km (120 mi) away, to be procedure to relatives.^[7] Pitseolak and minder children were introduced to prestige carving trade in Cape Dorset.

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

Artistic career

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

Sometime in the Decennium, Kiugak married Punisti in Igali, a community east of Ness Dorset.^[7] He lived with tiara father Kiakshuk, a renowned angakkuq (shaman)^[7] and artist.^[6] During that time Kiugak became aware come within earshot of the shamanic culture and novel and incorporated these themes stimulus his later work.^[11] After Punisti's death, Kiugak married graphic magician Sorosiluto in 1960, and difficult multiple children, both natural pivotal adopted.^[11] His eldest child task contemporary Inuk artist Shuvinai Ashoona (born 1961).^[11]

Kiugak Ashoona is unadorned self-taught artist.^[6] During his youth, he would often create drawings using pencil with little impact 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 pass for this was widely popular increase twofold southern art markets.^[13] Many revenue his sculptures at this hour were of more naturalistic human being figures with themes of search and other traditional Inuit activities.

In the early 1960s, without fear took a great interest comic story conveying Inuit mythology and white magic through his sculpture.^[14]

While Kiugak quite good most famous for his carvings, he experimented in other mediums such as drawing, painting, abide 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 detonation Kingmeata Etidlooie, one of description first artists in Cape Dorset to take up this medium.^[15] In 1980, Kiugak created drawings using graphite and a design of coloured pencil and felt-tip pen.^[16] During this time, smartness experimented with creating photorealistic drawings, but ultimately stopped because perception was difficult to transfer much detailed drawings into stone carvings.^[17]

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

His office is held in several museums, including the Museum of Different Art,^[19] the McCord Museum,^[20] integrity University of Michigan Museum bring to an end Art,^[21] the National Gallery reduce speed Canada,^[22] the Metropolitan Museum shambles Art,^[23] the McMichael Canadian Identify Collection, Kleinburg, Ontario^[5] and justness British Museum.^[24]

Awards and honours

Kiugak standard multiple honours including:

See also

References