Ruth Annaqtuusi Tulurialik

Ruth Annaqtuusi Tulurialik was born in 1934 in the Kazan River area of the Northwest Territories, now Nunavut. As an infant, Tulurialik and her family moved to Qamani'tuaq (Baker Lake), NU. Tulurialik started drawing in 1970 at the Sanavik Cooperative in Qamani'tuaq. Encouraged by Jessie Oonark [1], she became a regular contributor to the annual Baker Lake print series in 1971. 

Tulurialik's drawings combine a powerful narrative with her distinct graphic style. Along with author David F. Pelly, Tulurialik produced a book titled Qikaluuktut: Images of Inuit Life. Published in 1986, Qikaluuktut presents a portrait of life in Qamani'tuaq and includes her drawings to highlight elements of Inuit culture [2]. Her complex colour palettes, achieved by overlaying multiple hues, created a vivid universe on the page. Tulurialik finds inspiration for her art from the traditional ways of her culture, constructing imaginative depictions of Arctic animals, Inuit in traditional dress, women with facial tattoos, shamans and spirits, and transformational images [3].

Tulurialik's work has been featured in exhibitions across Canada, such as the touring exhibition "The Vital Vision: Drawings by Ruth Annaqtuusi Tulurialik" at the Art Gallery of Windsor. Her work is held in the collections of the Canadian Museum of History, Ottawa, ON, the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, ON, the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg, ON, le Musée des beaux-arts in Montreal, QC and the Winnipeg Art Gallery. Tulurialik and her husband Hugh are renowned singers and musicians, and have performed extensively across the Canadian Arctic and at a benefit concert on Broadway in New York, NY for World Environment Day.