Eli Weetaluktuk

Biography

Eli Weetaluktuk was one of the first of the modern Inuit carvers in Inukjuak, QC. Until his death in 1958, he created an impressive body of work with is two brothers Sarollie and Simoeonie.


As the owner of a Peterhead boat, they were able to hunt walrus for ivory, resulting in some of the first integration of ivory in Inuit artwork [1]. As well as incorporating walrus ivory in his sculptures to create tools for his sculptures of people, he used it for their eyes or lips. He would also use unconventional material like melted phonograph records to create a black inlay on the stone [2]. During this time, Weetaluktuk worked with traditional carving techniques, using a hatchet to cut the stone to create the detail on the green marble serpentine stone collected from the newly found quarry of Sungauyak. Weetaluktuk produced clear sculptures, which emphasized the beautiful and glossy stone.  

Artist Work

About Eli Weetaluktuk

Medium:

Sculpture

Artistic Community:

Inukjuak, QC

Date of Birth:

Artists may have multiple birth years listed as a result of when and where they were born. For example, an artist born in the early twentieth century in a camp outside of a community centre may not know/have known their exact date of birth and identified different years.

1910

Date of Death:

Artists may have multiple dates of death listed as a result of when and where they passed away. Similar to date of birth, an artist may have passed away outside of a community centre or in another community resulting in different dates being recorded.

1958

Edit History

April 11, 2019 Profile edited by Arnaud Lescure
November 15, 2018 Profile added by Danielle Printup