Noanikhok

Noanikhok is a multi-talented artist who engages in a variety of artistic practices, from drawing and oil painting to creating jewellery and art with organic materials. She was born in Kangiqliniq (Rankin Inlet), NU, and currently resides in Iqaluit, NU. 

Noanikhok’s penchant for art began at a young age. When she was three years old, she drew a still-life picture of one of her grandmother’s vases full of flowers. When Noanikhok’s caregiver came across the picture, she knew that Noanikhok had a unique artistic talent and shared what she had found with Noanikhok’s mother. This recognition of her talent at a young age is what started Noanikhok on her artistic journey. “I am still grateful for her part in my life to this day,” she says. [1]

Noanikhok likes to explore different themes in her work, such as stories, folklore, spirituality, and the fullness of emotion. She combines these themes with her artistic inspirations; she is inspired by her ancestors and the ongoing efforts of revitalization of culture by Inuit women and youth. “My art is a love note to my culture and land,” she says.

Combining different themes with her inspirations has led to a range of artistic creations, all with their own meaning. An oil painting that the artist created during a challenging time in her life, Takunnanguaqtangit (2020), is one that she holds close to her heart. In the centre of the painting, a figure holds a mask up to their face while shadowy hands reach in from all directions. Bright reds, oranges and yellows swim between three ravens, one of them menacingly perched at the top of the piece. Through this painting, Noanikhok beautifully expresses how she felt at that moment. “I thought of my ancestors and the strength and perseverance that they had, and I painted,” she says. She has been working primarily with digital art since 2021, creating illustrations for various Inuit organizations.  She was commissioned by Transformative Life Skills (TLS) Nunavik and TLS Nunavut to illustrate resources for their workshops that support mental health, youth development and violence and suicide prevention. “Mental wellness in our communities is important to me,” she says about this work.

Noanikhok enjoys working on her art and trying new things. She is learning to work with sealskin and wants to begin incorporating it into pieces that she creates in the near future. In 2021, she opened an online shop where she shares her paintings, drawings, earrings and other artistic creations, and from 2022 to 2023 has worked behind the scenes on a number of Inuk-directed short films, in roles such as set design and hair and makeup. She is currently working on a certificate in Inuktitut Language Proficiency. “It’s my hope that the more fluent I am, the more I can make my art and resources more accessible for Inuktitut-first language speakers and Elders,” she says about her hopes for the program.

This Profile was made possible through support from RBC Emerging Artists.