Ennutsiak, ᐃᓄᓯᐊ
Settlement: Frobisher Bay / Iqaluit
(1896-1967) — E7-603
Ennutsiak was a renowned and respected carver known for his skilful depictions of Inuit community life. Originally from Nunavik, Ennutsiak spent most of his life on the land travelling around Baffin Island eventually settling in Iqaluit.
In Iqaluit Ennutsiak became an active community leader. As a sculptor Ennutsiak produced detailed carvings of daily life in the Arctic. His work often focused on intimate glimpses into Inuit households and communities. He frequently carved scenes of men butchering walrus and seals and created captivating portrayals of women giving birth. Children and families were also common subjects in his work and capture interactions across multiple generations. Significantly, Ennutsiak rarely carved solitary figures, depicting people at least in pairs but often in gatherings.
Ennutsiak was met with huge commercial success toward the end of his life and posthumously. His work has been featured in exhibitions in Canada, the United States and Europe and is held in permanent collections at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, ON, the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, ON and the Winnipeg Art Gallery.
Exhibitions
- Arctic Mirror, Canadian Museum of Civilization
- Arctic Vision: Art of the Canadian Inuit, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Canadian Arctic Producers
- Baffin Island, Winnipeg Art Gallery
- Canadian Sculptors of the Arctic, National Gallery of Canada
- Contemporary Canadian Eskimo Art, Gimpel Fils
- Cultures of the Sun and the Snow: Indian and Eskimo Art of the Americas, Musee des beaux-arts de Montreal held at "Man and His World"
- Eskimo Narrative, Winnipeg Art Gallery
- Eskimo Sculpture, Winnipeg Art Gallery presented at the Manitoba Legislative Building
- Inuit Masterworks: Selections from the Collection of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, McMichael Canadian Collection
- Inuit Woman: Life and Legend in Art, Winnipeg Art Gallery
- Les Eskimos/De Eskimo's, Studio 44 - Passage 44
- Looking South, Winnipeg Art Gallery
- On Collectors and Collecting: Selections from the Herb & Cece Schreiber Family Collection, The Art Gallery of Hamilton
- Sanaugasi Takujaksat: A Travelling Celebration of Inuit Sculpture, Presented by Canadian Arctic Producers Ltd., with the assistance of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Ottawa
- The Bessie Bulman Collection, Winnipeg Art Gallery
- The Inuit Amautik: I Like My Hood To Be Full, Winnipeg Art Gallery
- The Mulders' Collection of Eskimo Sculpture, Winnipeg Art Gallery
- Ulu/Inua: Form and Fantasy in Eskimo Art, Casino Gallery, Ravinia Park
Collections
- Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto
- Canadian Museum of Civilization, Hull
- Eskimo Museum, Churchill
- Inuit Cultural Institute, Rankin Inlet
- Manitoba Crafts Guild Collection,
- Musee des beaux-arts de Montreal, Montreal
- National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa
- Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg
Artwork
Title | Last Sold At Auction | |
---|---|---|
BIBLE STUDY | 2008-11 (November 2008) | |
BIRTH SCENE | 2012-11 (November 2012) | |
BIRTHING SCENE | 2013-05 (May 2013) | |
BOY READING BIBLE | 2018-05 (May 2018) | |
CHILDREN EMBRACING | 2010-04 (April 2010) | |
CUTTING THE CORD | 2012-04 (April 2012) | |
FAMILY ENJOYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS | 2009-11 (November 2009) | |
FAMILY MOVING CAMP | 2011-11 (November 2011) | |
FAMILY SCENE | 2009-11 (November 2009) | |
FISHERMAN ON ICE FLOE | 2010-04 (April 2010) | |
HUNTER CARRYING AVATAQ | 2014-11 (November 2014) | |
HUNTER WAITING OVER BLOW HOLE | 2011-11 (November 2011) | |
HUNTER WITH A PACK | 2009-04 (April 2009) | |
HUNTER WITH AN AVATUK ON HIS BACK | 2011-05 (May 2011) | |
HUNTER WITH BOW AND ARROW | 2019-11 (November 2019) | |
HUNTERS BUTCHERING A WALRUS | 2013-05 (May 2013) | |
HUNTERS BUTCHERING WALRUS | 2008-11 (November 2008) | |
INUIT BIBLE CLASS | 2008-04 (April 2008) | |
LEAP FROG | 2009-11 (November 2009) | |
MEN WITH UMIAK | 2009-04 (April 2009) | |
MENDING CHILD'S AMAUTI, CA. 1960 | ||
MIDWIVES AND CHILD | 2008-04 (April 2008) | |
MIGRATION SCENE | 2011-11 (November 2011) | |
MOTHER AND CHILD | 2008-04 (April 2008) | |
MOTHER AND CHILD READING A BIBLE | 2010-11 (November 2010) | |
MOTHER COMFORTING CHILD | 2010-11 (November 2010) | |
MOTHER WALKING WITH CHILDREN | 2011-05 (May 2011) | |
MOTHER WITH CHILDREN | 2017-05 (May 2017) | |
MOTHER WITH TWO CHILDREN | 2019-05 (May 2019) | |
PIGGY BACK RIDE | 2012-11 (November 2012) | |
SEAL FEAST | 2017-05 (May 2017) | |
SEATED FIGURE | 2008-04 (April 2008) | |
TRAVELING HUNTERS WITH HEAVY PACKS AND RIFLES IN SCABBARDS | 2015-11 (November 2015) | |
TWO HUNTERS BUTCHERING A SEAL | 2019-11 (November 2019) | |
UMIAQ MIGRATION | 2019-05 (May 2019) | |
WHALE HUNTING | 2010-04 (April 2010) | |
WOMAN SOFTENING SKIN | 2013-05 (May 2013) | |
WOMEN PREPARING FOOD | 2008-04 (April 2008) | |
WOMEN STITCHING TOGETHER SKIN FOR KAYAK | 2020-09 (September 2020) |