Iyola Kingwatsiak

Iyola Kingwatsiak
Photo Rosemary Gilliat Eaton, courtesy Library and Archives Canada, Photo (CMC)

Biography

Iyola (Iola) Kingwatsiak was born in Kinngait in the Qikiqtaaluk Region (Baffin Island). He was a visual artist that specialized in the creation of carvings, drawings and prints. Kingwatsiak started to develop his artistic practice in Kinngait (Cape Dorset) and resided there for the remainder of his life. Kingwatsiak commenced his artistic practice as a carver and later became known for his creation of prints in Kinngait between 1959 and 1977, as well as from 1984 to 1988 [1].

Kingwatsiak was one of the first Inuit artists, alongside Lukta Qiatsuq, Eegyvudluk Pootoogook and Kananginak Pootoogook, to engage in formal printmaking practices with artist and Canadian government official, James Houston in Kinngait during the late 1950s [2]. He was also part of a group of four other Inuit artists including Kananginak Pootoogook, Joanasie Salamonie, Lukta Qiatsuq and Kiakshuk, who together signed the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative’s first incorporation documents and initially contributed to its development as a renowned organization for the creation of Inuit art [3]. Kingwatsiak’s artworks were exhibited in the Cape Dorset Print Collections between 1959 and 1993. He created 155 prints using a variety of methods, including etching, engraving, stencil and stonecut [4]. He is noted for creating artworks that featured Inuit figures within northern environments and Arctic animals, such as birds, whales, walruses and bears. He was also known for his technical artistic experimentation with various media. Kingwatsiak was part of early experiments with copperplate engraving in Kinngait in 1962, and also attended workshops to learn about tools for carving hard stone [5].

Kingwatsiak’s artwork is in many public collections across North America, such as the Museum of Modern Art, New York, the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa and the Winnipeg Art Gallery. In addition to being one of the first printmakers in Kinngait, he was also one of the first to work with copperplate engraving in 1961. His artwork has been exhibited within galleries across Canada as well as internationally. He was also active in his northern community, including being President of the West Baffin Eskimo Cooperative from 1971 to 1973, as well as serving on numerous community boards and committees [6].



This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada.
Ce projet est financé en partie par le gouvernement du Canada.

Iyola (Iola) Kingwatsiak est né à Kinngait, dans la région de Qikiqtaaluk (île de Baffin). Il était un artiste visuel spécialisé dans la création de sculptures, de dessins et de gravures. Kingwatsiak a lancé sa pratique artistique à Kinngait (Cape Dorset), où il a habité le reste de sa vie. Ayant d’abord travaillé comme artisan sculpteur, il s’est fait connaître plus tard pour sa création de gravures à Kinngait de 1959 à 1977, puis de 1984 à 1988. Kingwatsiak a été un des premiers artistes inuits, tout comme Lukta Qiatsuq, Eegyvudluk Pootoogook et Kananginak Pootoogook, à entreprendre une pratique de gravure de reproduction officielle avec James Houston, artiste et fonctionnaire du gouvernement canadien, à Kinngait à la fin des années 1950. Il a également fait partie d’un groupe de cinq artistes inuits, dont Kananginak Pootoogook, Joanasie Salamonie, Lukta Qiatsuq et Kiakshuk qui, ensemble, ont signé les premiers documents de constitution en société de la West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative et contribué dans les débuts à son développement en tant qu’organisme de renom dans le domaine de la création d’art inuit. Les œuvres d’art de Kingwatsiak ont été illustrées dans les catalogues de la collection annuelle de gravures de Cape Dorset de 1959 à 1993. Il a créé 155 gravures en faisant appel à diverses techniques, y compris la gravure à l’acide, la gravure, le pochoir et la gravure sur pierre. Il était reconnu pour ses œuvres d’art qui représentaient des personnages inuits dans des environnements nordiques ainsi que des animaux de l’Arctique, notamment des oiseaux, des baleines, des morses et des ours. Il était également reconnu pour son expérimentation artistique de diverses techniques. En 1962, Kingwatsiak a participé aux premiers essais de la gravure sur cuivre à Kinngait, puis il a assisté à des ateliers pour en apprendre davantage sur les outils servant à sculpter la pierre dure. Les œuvres d’art de Kingwatsiak font partie de plusieurs collections publiques en Amérique du Nord, notamment celles du Museum of Modern Art à New York, du Musée des beaux-arts du Canada à Ottawa et du Musée des beaux-arts de Winnipeg, au Manitoba. Ses œuvres d’art ont été exposées dans des galeries au Canada ainsi qu’à l’étranger. Kingwatsiak a également été actif dans sa communauté du Nord, notamment en tant que président de la West Baffin Eskimo Cooperative de 1971 à 1973, et il a siégé à plusieurs conseils et comités communautaires.
ᐃᔪᓚ ᑭᖑᐊᑦᓯᐊᖅ ᐃᓅᓂᑯ ᑭᓐᖓᓂ ᕿᑭᖅᑖᓗᖕᒥ. ᑕᑯᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᓴᓇᔭᖏᑦ ᐅᒃᑯᓯᒃᓴᓕᖕᓂ ᓴᓇᖑᐊᖅᐸᒃᑐᖅ, ᑎᑎᕋᐅᔭᖅᐸᒃᑐᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᖅᑕᐅᕙᓯᒪᔪᑦ. ᑭᖑᐊᑦᓯᐊᖅ ᓴᓇᖑᐊᖃᑦᑕᓕᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐊᔪᕈᒦᖅᓴᖅᐸᒃᖢᒥ ᑭᓐᖓᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᑕᐃᑲᓂ ᐃᓄᔪᓃᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ. ᑭᖑᐊᑦᓯᐊᖅ ᐱᒋᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᓴᓇᖃᑦᑕᖅᖢᓂ ᓴᓇᖑᐊᖅᑎᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑭᖑᓂᐊᒍᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᐅᑦᑎᐊᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᖅᑕᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᑭᓐᖓᓂ ᐊᕙᑖᓂ 1959 ᐊᒻᒪᓗ 1977, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓱᓕ 1984-ᒥᑦ 1988-ᒧᑦ. ᑭᖑᐊᑦᓯᐊᖅ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᔪᖅ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᖅ ᐃᓄᖕᓂᑦ ᓴᓇᖑᐊᖅᑎᐅᖃᑕᐅᔪᖅ, ᐱᖃᑎᒋᓪᓗᒍ ᓗᒃᑕ ᕿᐊᑦᓱᒃ, ᐃᔨᕙᓪᓗᖅ ᐳᑐᒍᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑲᓇᖏᓇᖅ ᐳᑐᒍᖅ, ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᕈᓯᑐᖃᕐᓂᒃ ᓴᓇᖑᐊᖅᑎᖏᓪᓗᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑲᓇᑕᐅᑉ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᓂᑦ, ᔭᐃᒻᔅ ᕼᐃᐅᔅᑕᓐ ᑭᓐᖓᓂ ᑕᐃᑲᓂ 1950-ᓂ. ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑖᒃᑯᓇᓂ ᑎᓴᒪᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓴᓇᖑᐊᖅᑎᑦ ᑲᓇᖏᓇᖅ ᐳᑐᒍᖅ, ᔪᐊᓇᓯ ᓴᓚᒧᓂ, ᓗᒃᑕ ᕿᐊᑦᓱᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑭᐊᒃᓱᒃ, ᐅᑯᐊ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᑎᓕᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᒍᐃᔅ ᐸᕙᓐ ᐃᔅᑭᒧ ᑯᐊᑉ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᑦ ᑯᐊᐸᖑᕈᓯᖏᑦ ᑎᑎᖃᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᖢᒋᑦ ᓴᕿᑕᐅᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᓄᑖᖅ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᔨ ᓴᕿᑦᑎᓯᒪᓂᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓴᓇᖑᐊᒐᖏᓐᓂᒃ. ᑭᖑᐊᑦᓯᐊᖅ ᓴᓇᔭᖏᑦ ᓴᕿᔮᖅᑎᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᑭᓐᖓᓂ ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᓄᐊᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐊᕙᑖᓂᑦ 1959 ᐊᒻᒪᓗ 1993. ᓴᓇᓯᒪᔪᖅ 155 ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᖅᖢᓂ ᐊᑐᖅᓯᓪᓗᓂ ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᕈᓯᕐᓂᒃ, ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐃᓗᑦᑐᖅᑎᑎᓂᖅ, ᑎᑎᕋᕐᖢᒍ, ᐳᑑᕋᐃᓂᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᒃᑯᓯᒃᓴᓕᒃ ᓴᓇᕕᒋᓪᓗᒍ. ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᓴᓇᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᕋᖅᖢᓂ ᐃᓄᖑᐊᓂᒃ ᐃᓗᐊᓂ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᖅ ᓯᓚᖏᓐᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ ᓂᕐᔪᑎᑦ, ᓲᕐᓗ ᑎᖕᒥᐊᑦ, ᐊᕐᕖᑦ, ᐊᐃᕖᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓇᓄᐃᑦ. ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᐅᔪᖅ ᓴᓇᑐᔫᓂᖓ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖃᑦᑕᖅᖢᒋᑦ ᓱᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᑦ ᓴᓇᔪᒥᓇᖅᑐᑦ. ᑭᖑᐊᑦᓯᐊᖅ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᓯᒪᕗᖅ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᕐᓂ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑐᑦ ᓴᓇᓪᓗᒍ ᓴᑦᑐᔮᖑᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᖃᔪᓐᓇᖅ ᑭᓐᖓᓂ 1962-ᒥ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓚᐅᖃᑦᑕᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᑲᑎᒪᔪᓂ ᐃᓕᑦᑎᓇᓱᒃᖢᑎᒃ ᓴᓇᖑᐊᕈᑎᓂᒃ ᓴᓇᕐᕈᑎᓂᒃ ᑎᓯᔪᓄᑦ ᐅᒃᑯᓯᒃᓴᓕᖕᓄᑦ. ᑭᖑᐊᑦᓯᐊᖅ ᓴᓇᔭᖏᑦ ᐊᒥᓱᓂ ᑭᒃᑯᑐᐃᓐᓇᐃᑦ ᓄᐊᑕᖏᑦ ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓂ ᓄᐊᑦ ᐊᒥᐊᓕᒐ, ᓲᕐᓗ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃ ᒫᓐᓇ ᓴᓇᖑᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂ, ᓅ ᔮᒃ, ᑲᓇᑕ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᖓᓂ, ᐋᑐᕚᒥ, ᐋᓐᑎᐅᕆᐅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᕕᓂᐲᒃ ᓴᓇᖑᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃ. ᐅᑯᐊ ᓴᓇᔭᖏᑦ ᓴᕿᔮᖅᑎᑕᐅᖃᑦᑕᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᑕᑯᒐᖃᕐᕕᖕᓂ ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓂ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓯᓚᕐᔪᐊᒥ. ᐅᓇᑦᑕᐅᖅ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᖏᓐᓇᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᓄᓇᒥᖕᓂ, ᑕᐃᒪᓗ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᖑᓪᓗᓂ ᒍᐃᔅ ᐸᕙᓐ ᐃᔅᑭᒨ ᑯᐊᑉ ᑕᐃᑲᖓᑦ 1971 ᑎᑭᓪᖢᒍ 1973, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᐅᖃᑦᑕᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐊᒥᓱᓂ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᕋᓛᓂ.

Artist Work

About Iyola Kingwatsiak

Medium:

Graphic Arts, Sculpture

Artistic Community:

Kinngait, Nunavut, Inuit Nunangat

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.

Kinngait (Cape Dorset), NU
1933

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.

2000
The Igloo Tag Trademark
The Igloo Tag Trademark is an internationally recognized symbol that denotes handmade, original artwork made by Inuit artists in Canada. Established in 1958, the Trademark is now managed by the Inuit Art Foundation. The appearance of the Igloo Tag on an artist profile means they have had the Trademark applied to their artwork.

Edit History

June 5, 2019 Profile edited by Amy Jenkins