Nelson Takkiruq

Biography

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Nelson Takkiruq (1930–1999) was an artist based in Uqsuqtuuq (Gjoa Haven), NU, and was a talented carver who worked primarily in stone and whalebone. Takkiruq began to carve as a youth, and was influenced by the highly art and artists his community and region including his brothers, artists Judas Ullulaq (1937-1999) and Charlie Ugyuk (1931-1999) [1]. Takkiruq was also a highly respected hunter and elder.

Takkiruq’s work reveals his broad knowledge of Inuit legends, lore and life on the land, resulting in instantly recognizable works that are also stylistically similar to his brother, Judas Ullulaq. Takkiruq’s carvings demonstrate his keen ability to create expressive faces and gestures in his subjects, with wide eyes and contored mouths communicating terror or mischief. One of Takkiruq’s recurring themes focuses on the story of Amayuqyuq, a creature known for abducting children. This story was often told as a precautionary tale to keep children from wandering too far from camp [2]. This story can be seen in his piece Amayuqyuq Abducting a Child (n.d.), where the child, made from whalebone, has a distressed expression whilst clutched in the grasp of Amayuqyuq herself. Another example of what may be a similar story can be seen in Bear Woman Packing Screaming Girl (1990). Viewed in the round, the sculpture shows the child’s terrified expression of a child that is caught under the arm of the bear woman, whose paws are the only visible indication of her supernatural power [3]. Lastly, in Takkiruq’s work Spirit (n.d.), he conveys emotion and movement in his subjects that look as if they are caught int the midst of a conversation, with their mouth open in speech.

Takkiruq’s work was exhibited throughout Canada and internationally. In addition to working as an artist, Takkiruq was also passionate about teaching and sharing his craft with younger generations in Uqsuqtuuq [4]. He also contributed his time to arts organizations such as the Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association (NACA), sitting on the selection jury for the newly created collection in 1998.

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

Nelson Takkiruq était un sculpteur d’Uqsuqtuuq (Gjoa Haven) au Nunavut. Il travaillait principalement la pierre et les os de baleine. Très connues pour leur émotion, leur animation et leur abstraction, les sculptures de Takkiruq révèlent une vaste connaissance des légendes, des coutumes et de la vie des Inuits. Il en résulte des œuvres immédiatement reconnaissables, qui sont aussi stylistiquement similaires à celles de son frère, Judas Ullulaq, et qui utilisent des techniques telles que l’incrustation pour créer des visages très expressifs. Membre respecté de la collectivité et chasseur, il était activement engagé dans la communauté artistique locale. Ses œuvres ont fait l’objet de plus de 40 expositions et ses pièces se retrouvent notamment dans les collections du Musée canadien de l’histoire à Gatineau (Québec) et du Musée des beaux-arts de Winnipeg (Manitoba).

ᓂᐅᓪᓴᓐ ᑕᒃᑭᕈᖅ ᓴᓇᙳᐊᖅᑎᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐅᔭᖅᑲᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᕿᓚᓗᒐᐅᑉ ᓴᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ, ᐅᖅᓱᖅᑐᖅ, ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᐅᑕᖅ. ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᐅᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᑉᐱᒋᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓱᒪᒃᓴᖅᓯᐅᕐᓂᖓ ᓴᓇᙳᐊᒐᓄᑦ, ᑕᒃᑭᕉᑉ ᓴᓇᙳᐊᒐᖏᑦ ᑕᑯᔅᓴᐅᓂᖏᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖏᓐᓂᒃ, ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᒥᒍᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓅᓯᒥ ᓄᓇᒥ, ᐱᐊᓂᒃᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐃᓕᑕᕐᓇᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᓴᓇᙳᐊᒐᓂᒃ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᙱᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᓴᓇᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐊᔾᔨᑲᓯᐊᑐᑦ ᐊᓂᐊ, ᔫᑕᔅ ᐅᓪᓗᓚᖅ, ᐊᑐᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᙱᑦᑐᓂᓂᒃ ᐃᓗᓕᖃᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᓴᓇᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᑐᑭᖃᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᑭᓇᙳᐊᓂᒃ. ᐃᑉᐱᒋᔭᐅᑦᑎᐊᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᓄᓇᓕᒥᐅᑕᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᓯᕙᖅᑎᐅᓂᖓᓄᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᖏᓐᓇᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᓄᓇᓕᒥ ᓴᓇᙳᐊᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᖃᖅᑐᓂᒃ. ᓴᓇᙳᐊᒐᖏᑦ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ 40 ᐅᖓᑖᓂ ᑕᑯᒐᓐᓈᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᓇᙳᐊᒐᖏᑦ ᐃᓚᖏᑦ ᐱᓯᒪᔭᐅᔪᑦ ᑲᑎᖅᓱᖅᑕᐅᔪᓂᑦ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᑕᑯᒐᓐᓈᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃ ᐃᑦᑕᒃᓂᑕᐃᑦ ᒐᑎᓅ, ᑯᐱᒃᒥ, ᕕᓂᐲᒃ ᓴᓇᙳᐊᒐᐃᑦ ᑕᑯᒐᓐᓈᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃ ᒫᓂᑐᐸᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓂ.