Hannah Kigusiuq

Hannah Kigusiuq is a drawer and printmaker from Hanningajuq (Garry Lake), NU, who lived on the land until the mid 1950s when she relocated to Qamani'tuaq (Baker Lake), NU, where she began her artistic practice. Having little artistic experience before moving to the Qamani'tuaq settlement, Kigusiuq developed her own personal style and technique over the years with help from those in the community [1]. Kigusiuq is best known for her pencil drawings, in which she portrays people and animals in relationships with one another.

Kigusiuq’s practice is primarily in drawing and printmaking. Her visual language explores the experiences of her early life, depicting life on the land and camp life with an emphasis on community [2]. Her drawings include images of winter camps, travel by dogsled, drum celebrations and daily activities, all of which she depicts with a playful hand [3]. Kigusiuq's compositions are primarily completed in black and white. Groups of people gathered are often depicted mid-motion, or large groups of people look to the viewer with expressive faces. allowing the viewer to fully engage with the emotion of the figures.

Producing works in drawing and printmaking since the 1970s, Kigusiuq's works have been included in exhibitions across North America, including the Winnipeg Art Gallery in Winnipeg, MB and the Inuit Gallery of Vancouver in Vancouver, BC. Her work is held in the permanent collections of many art institutions including the Canadian Museum of History, Gatineau, QC, the Winnipeg Art Gallery in Winnipeg, MB and the Art Gallery of Guelph in Guelph, ON, among others. Her works can be seen in the Baker Lake Annual Print Collection catalogues from 1970 -1990 [4].