Ashoona, Kiugak

Born in 1933 in Tariugajak, NU, Kiugak Ashoona was an accomplished sculptor and printmaker as well as an early participant in the Kinngait (Cape Dorset), NU, art production movement. Ashoona’s sculptures are recognizable for their fluidity and dramatic imagery, including gestural poses, sharp, pointed beaks and expressive eyes. His figures are highly detailed, dynamic and often carved in lustrous, deep green serpentinite. The relationships between people and non-human beings to one another and the land comprised the major thrust of his artistic output, a theme visible in works such as Natturalik (2000) and Bird Spirit (1960). In recognition of his significant artistic achievements, Ashoona was inducted as an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2000 and elected as a Member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 2003.