Qikiqtaaluk
(b. 1949)
(b. 1949)
Lucassie Ikkidluak (b. 1949) is a sculptor from Kimmirut (Lake Harbour), NU, who works predominantly in stone. He began carving in 1967 at the age of 18. Like his brothers Joannie and Iola, who are also stone carvers, Lucassie’s favourite subjects are arctic animals. He is best known for his depictions of muskoxen. They typically feature ivory horns and complexly textured coats of hair that drape the animal, and often appear to be blown by strong gusts of wind.
First exhibited in 1977 as part of the exhibition Sculpture from Lake Harbour at the Canadian Guild of Crafts in Montreal, QC, Ikkidluak’s works were frequently featured both nationally and internationally in the ensuing thirty years. Notably, one of his pieces was selected as part of the Stories in Stone exhibition held during the 1996 trade mission to South Korea led by Prime Minister Jean Chretien. More recently, he was exhibited at Reflets Artiques at Art Inuit Paris in France in 2011.
Ikkidluak’s works are featured in the permanent collections of the Canadian Guild of Crafts in Montreal, the Winnipeg Art Gallery, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and several others.
About
Muskoxen have always been an important food source for Inuit. According to one Inuit legend, when alone, the muskoxen remove their skin and warm up by the fire. They rub their skin dry and praise the beauty of their land. One evening, upon hearing a pack of dogs, they quickly put their skins on to protect themselves. In the end, the dogs, accompanied by human hunters, were successful in defeating the herd.
