Ennutsiak

Ennutsiak (1896–1967) was a renowned and respected carver known for his skilful depictions of Inuit community life. Originally from Nunavik, Ennutsiak spent most of his life on the land travelling around Baffin Island [1] eventually settling in Iqaluit, NU, where Ennutsiak gained recognition as a sculptor. 

In Iqaluit Ennutsiak became an active community leader who would organize traditional Inuit games during seasonal festivities and would tell stories over the radio [2].
As a sculptor Ennutsiak produced detailed carvings of daily life in the Arctic. His work often focused on gendered spaces and activities offering intimate glimpses into Inuit households and communities. He frequently carved scenes of men butchering walrus and seals and created captivating portrayals of women giving birth. Children and families were also common subjects in his work and capture interactions across multiple generations. Significantly, Ennutsiak rarely carved solitary figures, depicting people at least in pairs but often in gatherings. This suggests the importance of cooperation to Ennutsiak and what he perceived as an ideal cohesive community. 
Ennutsiak recorded the changes he observed occurring in the world around him in his carvings. The influence of Christianity, which was becoming established in the northern settlements, is present in his work. Inuit people going to church or reading the Bible were both subjects of Ennutsiak’s storytelling. In contrast, traditional Inuit spiritual beliefs were not something that he chose to portray, possibly alluding to the influence of Anglican missionaries on his own beliefs. His sculptures also documented the appearance of Euro-Canadian trade goods in Inuit culture, such as a pair of hunters carrying rifles or a family playing with musical instruments. The effect Ennutsiak masterfully created within his work was that each piece became a snapshot of a larger, ongoing narrative. 

Ennutsiak was met with huge commercial success toward the end of his life and posthumously. His remaining works continue to be auctioned at substantial values. Ennutsiak’s sculpture has been featured in multiple exhibitions in Canada, the United States and Europe and is held in permanent collections at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, ON, the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, ON and the Winnipeg Art Gallery.



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