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Qiyuk, Miriam

Qiyuk, Miriam

Kivalliq

(1933–2016)

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Qiyuk, Miriam

(1933–2016)

Miriam Qiyuk (1933-2016) was one of the eight gifted children of the great Baker Lake graphic artist Jessie Oonark. She was born into a traditional nomadic lifestyle before moving into Baker Lake in her early twenties. She was married to the carver, Silas Qiyuk, but her naturalistic artwork is very different in style from her husband’s more abstract compositions. She began creating wall hangings and carvings in the early 1960s but had to give up working with textiles around 1980 due to an allergic reaction to wool. She then concentrated on the creation of carvings and developed a distinctive style of wide, expressive faces with eyelash-ringed eyes. Like her siblings, her work often depicted episodes from the epic tale of Kiviuq, such as his encounter with Aloolah, the two-headed dog. She is also known for her realistic portrayal of two women using a bow drill to start of fire. Her work has been featured in numerous exhibitions in Canada and in the United States.

Two Women Starting Fire

c. 1960–1969
stone, wood, sinew
25 x 41.6 x 7.8 cm

Collection of the Winnipeg Art Gallery, Twomey Collection, with appreciation to the Province of Manitoba and Government of Canada
767.71 a-d

  • Two Women Starting Fire

    About

    Two Women Starting Fire

    Two Women Starting Fire

    Miriam Qiyuk is one of eight children of the great Baker Lake artist Jessie Oonark.All of her children became well-known artists. Qiyuk was raised in a traditional camp lifestyle, and settled in Baker Lake in the early 1980s. She specialized in stone sculpture for decades and added wall hangings to her repertoire after moving to Baker Lake.


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