Lukta Qiatsuk

Lukta Qiatsuk
Courtesy of John Paskievich

Biography

Lukta Qiatsuk (1928 - 2004) was a printmaker, graphic artist and sculptor from Kinngait (Cape Dorset), NU. A leading member of the West Baffin Eskimo Co-op, he created work for many of their print collections between 1959 and 1980. As the main printer for more than two hundred pieces, Qiatsuk was also involved in the production of a good number of the most esteemed and recognizable Cape Dorset images [1]. Inspired by the work of his father, Kiakshuk, Qiatsuk started art-making, soon finding success in his own right.

Working with James Houston on the "early experiments" of the Co-op in 1957-58, Qiatsuk was able to try his hand at nearly every medium. Through making stonecut prints and stencils of his father's many drawings, Qiatsuk found his own passion for depicting human figures, animals and birds, developing a particular interest in owls [2]. One of his earliest works in print, aptly named Owl (1959), skillfully depicts the ruffled feathers of the bird taking flight. Considered to be an exemplary piece of the Co-op's first collection, and of the diverse artistic influences brought to the studios by Houston, Qiatsuk's Owl was included in the major touring exhibition from the Canadian Museum of History, "Inuit Prints: Japanese Inspiration," in 2011-12 [3].

By way of receiving a grant through the Canada Council for the Arts, Qiatsuk was able to travel to Basel, Switzerland, to attend the opening of his family's exhibition held at the Canadian Arctic Gallery during May and June 2003. Included in his artist statement, Qiatsuk noted how he wished that this exposure to the European audience would help to open up a new market for his sons in the future [4]. He was one of the nine Inuit artists from Kinngait chosen to create and make the first mace of the Northwest Territories (1955-1956). Qiatsuk's work is still celebrated in exhibitions around the world today, his legacy carried on through the art of his children.



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

Lukta Qiatsuk (1928-2004) était un graveur, graphiste et sculpteur originaire de Kinngait (Cape Dorset), au Nunavut. Membre éminent de la West Baffin Eskimo Cooperative, il a créé des œuvres pour plusieurs des collections de gravures de la coopérative de 1959 à 1980. En tant que graveur principal de plus de deux cents œuvres, Qiatsuk a également participé à la production de bon nombre des images les plus estimées et les plus reconnaissables issues de Cape Dorset. Inspiré par le travail de son père Kiakshuk, Qiatsuk a commencé à créer de l’art, puis il a bientôt obtenu du succès en son propre nom. Travaillant en collaboration avec James Houston sur les « premières expériences » de la coopérative en 1957-1958, Qiatsuk a pu s’essayer à presque toutes les techniques. En faisant des gravures sur pierre et des pochoirs à partir des nombreux dessins de son père, Qiatsuk a trouvé sa propre passion pour la représentation de personnages humains, d’animaux et d’oiseaux, son intérêt particulier étant les hiboux. La pièce « Hibou » (1959), une de ses premières œuvres qui porte bien son nom, représente habilement les plumes ébouriffées de l’oiseau qui prend son envol. Considéré comme une pièce exemplaire de la première collection de la coopérative et des diverses influences artistiques que Houston a apportées aux studios, « Hibou » de Qiatsuk a fait partie de l’importante exposition itinérante du Musée canadien de l’histoire intitulée « Estampes inuites : Inspiration japonaise » en 2011-2012. Grâce à une subvention du Conseil des arts du Canada, Qiatsuk a pu se rendre à Bâle, en Suisse, pour assister à l’ouverture de l’exposition de sa famille qui a eu lieu à la Galerie canadienne de l’Arctique en mai et juin 2003. Qiatsuk a noté dans sa déclaration d’artiste qu’il souhaitait que se faire connaître auprès du public européen aiderait à ouvrir de futurs marchés pour ses fils. Les œuvres de Qiatsuk sont encore célébrées aujourd’hui, dans des expositions à travers le monde, et ses enfants ont continué la tradition par le biais de leur art.
ᓗᒃᑕ ᕿᐊᑦᓱᒃ (1928-2004) ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᖅᑕᐅᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᓴᓇᔭᖏᑦ, ᑎᑎᕋᐅᔭᖅᑎᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᓇᖑᐊᖅᑎ ᑭᓐᖓᓂ, ᓄᓇᕗᑦ. ᓯᕗᓕᐅᖅᑎᖓ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᑕᐃᑲᓂ ᒍᐃᔅ ᐸᕙᓐ ᐃᔅᑭᒨ ᑯᐊᑉ ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᕐᕕᖓᓂ, ᓴᓇᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᒥᓱᓂᒃ ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᖅᑕᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᓄᐊᑕᐅᓯᒪᕗᑦ 1959 ᐊᒻᒪᓗ 1980. ᑕᐃᒪᓗ ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᖅᑎᒻᒪᕆᐅᒐᒥ ᐅᖓᑖᓄᑦ 200 ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ, ᕿᐊᑦᓱᒃ ᐅᓇᖅᑕᐅᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᒥᓱᓂᒃ ᓴᓇᑦᑎᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓕᓴᕐᓇᖅᑐᑦ ᑭᓐᖓᓂᑦ ᓴᓇᔭᐅᓂᖏᑦ. ᑲᔪᖏᖅᓴᐅᑎᒋᓪᓗᒍ ᓴᓇᔭᒥᓄᑦ ᐊᑖᑕᓂ, ᑭᐊᒃᓱᒃ, ᕿᐊᑦᓱᒃ ᓴᓇᕙᓪᓕᐊᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑕᐃᒪᓗ ᖃᐅᔨᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐱᔭᐅᔪᒪᔭᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᓴᓇᔭᓂ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᓴᓇᔭᓂ. ᓴᓇᖃᑎᒋᓪᓗᒍ ᔭᐃᒻᔅ ᕼᐃᐅᔅᑕᓐ “ᐱᒋᐊᓕᓵᖅᑐᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕈᑎᖏᑦ” ᑯᐊᐸᒃᑯᓂ 1957-1958, ᕿᐊᑦᓱᒃ ᐆᒃᑐᖃᑦᑕᓕᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᓴᓇᔭᓂ ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓂᑦᑎᐊᐸᓗᒃ ᓴᓇᔭᒃᓴᓂᒃ. ᑕᒪᐅᓐᓇ ᐅᒃᑯᓯᒃᓴᓕᑦ ᓇᑲᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᖑᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᑖᑕᖓᑕ ᐊᒥᓱᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᐅᔭᖅᓯᒪᔭᖏᑦ, ᕿᐊᑦᓱᒃ ᓇᓂᓯᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᖁᕕᐊᒋᔭᒥᓂᒃ ᓴᓇᖃᑦᑕᖅᖢᒋᑦ ᐃᓄᖑᐊᑦ, ᓂᕐᔪᑎᖑᐊᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑎᖕᒥᐊᖑᐊᑦ, ᓴᕿᑦᑎᖃᑦᑕᕆᓪᓗᓂ ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᒋᔭᒥᓂᒃ ᐅᒃᐱᖑᐊᓕᐊᕆᐊᒃᓴᖅ. ᐃᓚᖏᑦ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᑦ ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᖅᑕᖏᑦ, ᐊᑎᖃᖅᑐᑦ Owl (ᐅᒃᐱᒃ) (1959), ᐊᔪᖏᑦᑎᐊᖅᖢᒋᑦ ᓴᕿᑎᑕᖏᑦ ᓱᓗᖑᐊᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᑖᓐᓇ ᑎᖕᒥᐊᖅ ᖃᖓᑦᑕᕋᓱᒃᑐᖅ. ᐃᓱᒪᒋᔭᐅᔪᖅ ᐱᐅᓂᖅᐹᖑᓂᖓᓂ ᑯᐊᐸᒃᑯᑦ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᒥᒃ ᓄᐊᑕᐅᓐᓂᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᓐᖏᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᓴᓇᔾᔪᓯᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᑲᔪᖏᖅᓴᐅᑎᖏᑦ ᑐᓂᖃᑦᑕᖅᖢᒋᑦ ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᕐᕕᖕᒧᑦ ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇᐅᑎᑦᑎᓪᓗᓂ ᕼᐃᐅᔅᑕᓐ, ᕿᐊᑦᓱᒃ Owl ᐃᓚᓕᐅᑎᓯᒪᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐳᓚᕋᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᖕᓂ ᑲᓇᑕ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᖓ ᐃᑦᑕᕐᓂᑕᓂᒃ, “Inuit Prints: Japanese Inspiration” (ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᖅᑕᖏᑦ: ᔮᐸᓃᓯᒃᑯᓄᑦ ᐱᔪᒥᒋᔭᐅᔪᑦ), ᑕᐃᑲᓂ 2011-2012. ᑕᒪᐅᓐᓇ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᒃᓴᖅᑖᖃᑦᑕᖅᖢᓂ ᑲᓇᑕ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᖏᑦ ᓴᓇᖑᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᓄᑦ, ᕿᐊᑦᓱᒃ ᐊᐅᓪᓚᕈᓐᓇᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐸᓯᐅ, ᓱᕕᑦᓱᓚᓐᑦ, ᐃᓚᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᒪᑐᐃᖅᓯᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᓚᒌᑦ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᖓᓂ ᑕᐃᑲᓂ ᑲᓇᑕᐅᑉ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᐊᓂ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃ ᒪᐃᒥᑦ ᔫᓐᒧᑦ, 2003. ᐃᓚᓕᐅᑎᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᓴᓇᖑᐊᖅᑎ ᐅᖃᖅᓯᒪᔭᖓ, ᕿᐊᑦᓱᒃ ᐅᖃᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᓴᕿᔮᖅᑎᑕᐅᒃᑲᓐᓂᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᔫᓚᑉᒧᑦ ᑕᐃᒪᓗ ᐃᑲᔫᑎᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᒪᑐᐃᖅᓯᓗᓂ ᓂᐅᕕᖅᑕᐅᖃᑦᑕᓕᐊᕐᓂᐊᕐᒪᑕ ᐃᕐᓂᖏᑦᑕ ᓴᓇᔭᖏᑦ ᓯᕗᓂᒃᓴᑦᑎᓐᓂ. ᕿᐊᑦᓱᒃ ᓴᓇᔭᖏᑦ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᒍᑕᐅᕙᒃᑐᑦ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᖕᓂ ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓂ ᓯᓚᕐᔪᐊᒥ ᐅᓪᓗᒥ, ᐳᐃᒍᓐᓇᓐᖏᓚᖅ ᑖᓐᓇ ᑲᔪᓯᑎᑦᑎᔪᖅ ᓴᓇᖑᐊᕈᓐᓇᖅᓯᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᓄᑕᕋᖏᑦ.

Artist Work

About Lukta Qiatsuk

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
1928

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.

2004