Ashoona, Qaqaq

(1928–1996)

Sculptor Qaqaq Ashoona was a hunter and trapper based out of Kinngait (Cape Dorset), NU who was adept at marrying heavy and compact forms with lighter, movement-rich elements. Known for his representations of mythological and spiritual themes, as well as depictions of women, including scenes of mothers and children, Ashoona’s female protagonists are rendered in loving detail with unique faces and specific adornments from hairstyles to clothing. This is rendered clearly in Taleelayuk and Serpent (1962), as the artist depicts motion through flowing har and the winding body of a powerful serpent. Ashoona's work has been exhibited nationally and internationally regularly since 1953. In April 1973, his first solo exhibition, Sculpture by Kaka of Cape Dorset was held at the Gallery of the Arctic in Victoria, BC. His work is housed in numerous major collections, including the National Gallery of Canada, Winnipeg Art Gallery, the Montreal Museum of Art and the Canadian Museum of History.

Taleelayuk and Serpent

1962

stone

22.1 x 29.5 x 6.3 cm

Collection of the Winnipeg Art Gallery, The Ian Lindsay Collection, Acquired with funds from the Volunteer Committee to the Winnipeg Art Gallery

G-85-302

About

Qaqaq Ashoona, Taleelayuk and Serpent

Qaqaq Ashoona, Taleelayuk and Serpent

In the Inuit belief system, Taleelayuk was a powerful sea spirit who lived in the ocean depths with the animals she controlled. She became angry when her rules concerning use and treatment of animals were broken. She would then withhold the game animals from Inuit. It was necessary for a shaman to appease her by combing and braiding her tangled hair. The artist has turned each element of the figure into a powerful sculptural shape; Taleelayuk’s hair has transformed into a serpent that torments her.