Peter Pitseolak

Peter Pitseolak

Biography

Peter Pitseolak was a photographer and artist based out of Kinngait (Cape Dorset), NU whose work focused on documenting the way of life of the people in his community. He produced an astounding portfolio of photographs from the 1940s to 1970s. Apart from photography the scope of his work included drawing, sculpting, watercolour painting and historical documentation using tape recordings, diaries and manuscripts.

Pitseolak took his first picture with a visitor’s camera and he purchased his first camera in 1939 while working for the Baffin Trading Company [1]. Pitseolak would come to own six cameras over his lifetime and would take thousands of photographs. He was a self-taught photographer experimenting with improved methods to develop photographs and was often sought out by others to learn his techniques [2].
Pitseolak’s photographic subjects were chosen with consideration for the future of his community. His aim was to record Inuit culture as he knew it so knowledge could be passed down to following generations [3]. Pitseolak’s photographic work has been distinguished into three periods in which he first captured images of daily life on the land and camp life, then shifted towards portraiture as a result of becoming hospitalized, and finally focused on composing scenes that conveyed Inuit traditional knowledge and stories [4]. Many of these photographs would become templates for his drawings, which he began producing around the same period.

Pitseolak documented the experiences of his family and community during a period of social change for Inuit living on the land to relocation in permanent settlements. His body of work stands in contrast to that of Euro-Canadian settlers that had attempted to document Inuit ways of life. Following his death his collection of over 2,000 negatives were placed on loan to the McCord Museum, Montreal, QC [5]. Two autobiographical novels were subsequently published about him, People From Our Side (1975) and Peter Pitseolak’s Escape From Death (1977). The Peter Pitseolak High School that was located in Kinngait, NU was also named after him.



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

Peter Pitseolak était un photographe et artiste établi à Kinngait (Cape Dorset), au Nunavut, dont les œuvres documentaient le mode de vie des gens de sa communauté. Il a produit un portfolio impressionnant de photographies des années 1940 aux années 1970. En plus de la photographie, ses œuvres englobaient le dessin, la sculpture, la peinture à l’aquarelle et la documentation historique au moyen d’enregistrements magnétiques, de journaux intimes et de manuscrits. Pitseolak a pris sa première photo avec l’appareil d’un visiteur; il a acheté son premier appareil photo en 1939 alors qu’il travaillait pour la Baffin Trading Company. Au cours de sa vie, Pitseolak allait posséder six appareils photo et prendre des milliers de photos. Photographe autodidacte, il essayait de trouver les meilleures méthodes pour développer ses photos et d’autres personnes intéressées venaient souvent le consulter pour apprendre ses techniques. Pitseolak choisissait ses sujets de photographie en tenant compte de l’avenir de sa communauté. Il voulait créer un dossier sur la culture inuite telle qu’il la connaissait pour que les connaissances puissent être transmises aux générations suivantes. Les œuvres photographiques de Pitseolak sont regroupées en trois périodes : il a d’abord capté des images de la vie quotidienne de la terre et dans les campements, puis il s’est tourné vers le portrait à la suite de son hospitalisation et, enfin, il s’est concentré sur la composition de scènes qui transmettaient les connaissances et les récits traditionnels inuits. Plusieurs de ces photos allaient servir de modèles pour ses dessins, qu’il a commencé à produire à peu près à la même période. Pitseolak a documenté les expériences de sa famille et de sa communauté au cours d’une période de transformation sociale pour les Inuits qui vivaient de la terre jusqu’à leur réinstallation dans des colonies permanentes. Son œuvre va à l’encontre de celle des colons euro-canadiens qui avaient tenté de documenter les modes de vie des Inuits. Après sa mort, sa collection de plus de 2 000 négatifs a été prêtée au Musée McCord à Montréal, au Québec. Par la suite, deux romans autobiographiques ont été publiés : « People From Our Side » (1975) et « Peter Pitseolak’s Escape From Death » (1977). L’école secondaire Peter Pitseolak qui était située à Kinngait, au Nunavut, porte son nom.
ᐱᑕ ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓛᖅ ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᕆᔨᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᓇᖑᐊᖅᑎᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᐃᓂᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᑭᓐᖓᓂ, ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᐅᓇᓗ ᐊᐅᓪᓗᑎᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐊᕆᕙᓪᓕᐊᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᓅᓯᖏᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓄᓇᒥᓂ. ᓴᕿᑦᑎᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐱᐅᔪᒻᒪᕆᐋᓗᖕᓂᒃ ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐊᖏᑦ ᐃᓄᖑᐊᑦ ᑕᐃᑲᖓᑦ 1940-ᓂ ᑎᑭᓪᖢᒍ 1970-ᓂ. ᓴᓂᐊᒍᑦ ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᕆᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖓᑕ ᐱᓕᕆᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᖅ ᑎᑎᕋᐅᔭᖅᖢᓂ, ᓴᓇᖑᐊᖅᖢᓂ, ᐊᒥᐊᕆᓪᓗᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᑦᑕᕐᓂᑕᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖅᓕᐅᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᓗᓂ ᐊᑐᖅᓯᓪᓗᓂ ᓂᐱᓕᐅᕈᑎᓂᒃ, ᑎᑎᕋᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᒡᒐᒥᓄᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑕᖏᑦ ᐅᖃᓕᒫᒐᐃᑦ. ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓛᑉ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᖅ ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐊᖓ ᐳᓛᖅᑐᑉ ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᕈᑎᖓᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓂᐅᕕᖅᖢᓂ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᒥᒃ ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᕈᑎ 1939-ᒥ ᓴᓇᖃᑎᒋᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐸᕙᓐ ᑕᐅᖅᓰᔨᑦ ᑲᒻᐸᓂ. ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓛᖅ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖃᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ 6 ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᕈᑎᓂᒃ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑕᐃᓴᓂ ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᕆᖃᑦᑕᖅᖢᓂ. ᐅᓇ ᓇᖕᒥᓂ-ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᓪᖢᓂ ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᕆᔨᖑᕐᓂᑯ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖃᑦᑕᖅᖢᓂ ᐱᐅᓯᕙᓪᓕᐊᔾᔪᑎᒋᓪᓗᒍ ᐊᔪᕈᓐᓃᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᔾᔪᑎᒋᓪᓗᒍ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐊᔾᔨᖑᕐᑎᑦᑎᕙᖕᒪᖔᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓕᑦᑎᕕᐅᔪᒪᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᕙᖕᒪᖔᑦ. ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓛᑉ ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐊᖏᑦ ᓂᕈᐊᖑᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᔭᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᓯᕗᓂᒃᓴᓄᑦ ᓄᓇᓖᑦ. ᑐᕌᕆᔭᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐱᐅᓯᑐᖃᖏᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᓂ ᑕᐃᒪᓗ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᐅᔪᑦ ᑲᔪᓯᓂᓐᐊᕐᒪᑕ ᓯᕗᓂᒃᓴᕆᓂᐊᖅᑕᒥᖕᓄᑦ. ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓛᑉ ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐊᖏᑦ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᓯᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐱᖓᓱᓂᒃ ᑕᐃᒪᓗ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅ ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐊᖓ ᐃᓅᓯᖓᑦ ᖃᐅᑕᒫᑦ ᓄᓇᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓄᓇᓕᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ, ᑕᐃᒪᓗ ᓴᖑᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑭᒃᑯᓂᒃ ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᕆᖃᑦᑕᓕᖅᖢᓂ ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇᐅᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᓕᕋᒥ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᕕᖕᒧᐊᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑕᐃᒪᓗ ᐊᐅᓪᓗᑎᓚᐅᖅᑕᖏᑦ ᓴᕿᑎᑉᐸᓪᖢᒋᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᑐᖃᖏᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖏᑦ. ᐊᒥᓱᑦ ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐊᖏᑦ ᐊᑐᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑕᖏᑦ ᐱᒋᐊᕈᑎᒋᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᐅᔭᖅᑕᒥᓄᑦ, ᓲᕐᓗ ᓴᓇᖃᑦᑕᓯᒋᐊᖅᖢᓂ ᑕᒫᓂ ᐊᑕᐅᑦᓯᒃᑯᑦ. ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓛᑉ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐊᕆᓚᐅᖅᑕᖏᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᓯᒪᔭᓂ ᐃᓚᓂᓗ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓄᓇᓖᑦ ᐃᓅᓯᖏᑦ ᐊᓯᕈᖅᑎᑕᐅᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᓄᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᒥᑦ ᓅᑕᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᓄᓇᓕᖑᖅᑎᑕᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ. ᓴᓇᔭᖏᑦ ᓴᕿᑎᑦᑎᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᔪᓚᑉ-ᑲᓇᑕᒥᐅᑦ ᓄᓇᑖᓯᔪᑦ ᐅᑯᐊᓗ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐊᕋᓱᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐃᓅᓯᖏᓐᓂᒃ. ᑐᖁᖓᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᓄᐊᑕᖏᑦ ᐅᖓᑖᓂ 2,000 ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᖅᓯᒪᔭᖏᑦ ᐊᔾᔨᖑᐊᓂᒃᓯᒪᓐᖏᑦᑐᑦ ᐃᓕᔭᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᑐᖅᑐᐊᖅᑕᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᒥᒃᑯᐊᑦ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃ, ᒪᓐᑐᕆᐊ, ᑯᐸᐃᒃ. ᒪᕐᕉᒃ ᐃᓅᓯᖓᓂᒃ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐅᖃᓕᒫᒐᑦ ᓴᕿᑎᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑖᔅᓱᒥᖓ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖅᑐᑦ, People From Our Side (ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓯᓚᑖᓂᑦ) (1975) ᐊᒻᒪᓗ Peter Pitseolak’s Escape From Death (ᐱᑕ ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓛᖅ ᑐᖁᑲᓴᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᖅ) (1977). ᐱᑕ ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓛᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᒃ ᐃᓂᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᑭᓐᖓᓂ, ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᐅᓇᑦᑕᐅᖅ ᑖᔅᓱᒥᖓ ᐊᑦᑎᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᖅ.

Artist Work

About Peter Pitseolak

Medium:

Graphic Arts, Painting, Photography, Sculpture

Artistic Community:

Kinngait, Nunavut, Inuit Nunangat

Gender:

Male

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.

Tujjaat, NU
1902

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.

1973

Edit History

January 5, 2018 Updated by: Rebecca Gray
September 12, 2017