Pudlo Pudlat

Biography

English | ᐃᓄᒃᑐᑦ Inuktut

Pudlo Pudlat (1916–1992) was a talented artist born at Ilupirlik, a small camp near Amadjuak, NU, who was later based out of Kinngait (Cape Dorset), NU. Considered one of the most original contemporary Inuit artists, Pudlat was known for depicting the transition from traditional nomadic Inuit lifestyles to modern technologies [1]. He started his art practice as a sculptor and eventually began working in painting and drawing. During his lifetime, Pudlat created approximately 4,500 drawings and 190 prints [2].

While his early works included creatures in addition to humorous combinations of fantasy and reality, Pudlat often depicted imagery of traditional life merged with modern technology. His subjects ranged from helicopters, planes, angels and churches to animals and scenes of summer camps. “At times when I draw, I am happy, but sometimes its very hard,” Pudlat stated in the 1978 Cape Dorset print catalogue. “I have been drawing for a long time now, I only draw what I think, but sometimes I think the pencil has a brain too” [3]. Pudlat’s work blended traditional and modern worlds, breaking down preconceptions of northern life and conveying a deep sense of harmony in their negotiations.

Pudlat was the first Inuit artist to be honoured with a retrospect of his work at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, ON, titled Pudlo: Thirty Years of Drawing from 1990 to 1991 [4]. Many of his pieces are still showcased there today and held in major collections in Vancouver, BC, Toronto, ON, Montreal, QC, and the United States. In addition, Pudlat’s prints featured prominently in the Cape Dorset Annual Print Collections and the print Flight to Sea (1985) was featured in the Vancouver Exposition in 1986 as well as in his solo show at the National Gallery of Canada. Pudlat’s work has been featured in numerous exhibitions in Canada, the United States and Europe, including at the Winnipeg Art Gallery in Manitoba, Albert Gallery in San Francisco, CA, and the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg, ON, among many others.

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Accomplishments

1986: Flight to Sea was printed in 1985 and featured during the Vancouver Exposition in 1986.

1986: Pudlat was one of several artists whose work was acquired and released by Norgraphics Limited between 1976 and 1984.

1984: Pudlat's work was featured in the Cape Dorset Annual Print Catalogue calendar.

1984: Pudlat produced a special folio of four lithograph prints for the Cape Dorset Annual Print Collection.

1980: One of six artists who contributed to a special portfolio of prints, which appeared in the annual Cape Dorset Print Catalogue.

1980: Commissioned to create a single lithograph commission, In Celebration, to commemorate the anniversary of The Guild in Montreal.

1979: Produced a lithograph entitled Shores of the Settlement, commissioned by the Queen Elizabeth Hotel to honour 29 “Great Montrealers,”

1979: Commissioned by the Canadian Guild of Crafts to create a lithograph to commemorate the first exhibition of contemporary Inuit art.

1978: Commissioned by Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada to create two designs for banners for the INAC headquarters.

1976: One of four Kinngait artists commissioned to produce a collection of prints for the Habitat Conference (United Nations).

1972: One of five Inuit artists who had works chosen for UNICEF greeting cards.

ᐸᓪᓗᖅ ᐳᓪᓚᐅᑉ ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᐅᔭᖏᑦ ᑲᑎᖅᓱᐃᔪᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᒥᓯᐅᑎᓂᑦ, ᐊᔾᔨᒌᙱᑦᑐᒻᒪᕆᐅᔪᓂᑦ ᓲᕐᓗ ᖁᓕᒥᒎᓕᓐᓂᑦ, ᓄᑖᙳᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᔪᓂᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑕᑯᑦᓴᐅᑎᑦᓯᓂᕐᒥ ᖃᐅᑕᒫᑦ ᐃᓅᓯᕆᔭᐅᕙᑦᑐᓂᑦ. ᐳᓪᓚᑦ ᐱᒋᐊᙵᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᓴᓇᙳᐊᖅᑎᐅᓪᓗᓂ, ᐊᒥᐊᕆᔨᐅᕙᓪᓕᐊᓪᓗᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᒥᐊᓕᓐᓂᒃ ᑎᓯᔪᓄᑦ ᐊᒥᐊᕈᑎᓄᑦ. 1978−ᒥ, ᐳᓪᓚᐅᑉ ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᐅᔭᖓ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖅ (ᑕᕝᕙᓂᐸᓗᒃ 1973) ᓴᖅᑭᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᑎᑎᖅᑲᓂᐊᕐᕕᒻᒥ ᓂᐱᑎᒐᖏᓐᓂ. ᐊᑯᓐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ 1990 ᐊᒻᒪᓗ 1991, ᓴᓇᙳᐊᒐᖃᕐᕕᔾᔪᐊᖓᓂ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᐋᑐᐋ, ᐋᓐᑎᐅᕆᐆᒥ ᓴᖅᑭᔮᖅᑎᑦᓯᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᖅᓯᒪᔭᒥᓂ, “Pudlo: Thirty Years of Drawing” (ᐸᓪᓗᖅ: ᐊᕐᕌᒍᓄᑦ 30−ᓄᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᐅᔭᕐᓂᖏᑦ). ᐊᒥᓱᑦ ᓴᓇᓯᒪᔭᖏᑦ ᓄᐊᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᓱᓕ ᑕᐃᑲᓂ ᓴᓇᙳᐊᒐᖃᕐᕕᔾᔪᐊᖓᓂ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᐅᓪᓗᒥᐅᔪᖅ, ᓄᐊᑕᐅᓯᒪᒻᒥᔪᑦ ᐊᓯᖏᓂᑦ ᕚᓐᑰᕙ, ᐲᓰᒥᑦ, ᑐᕌᓐᑐ, ᐋᓐᑎᐅᕆᐆᒥᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᒪᓐᑐᕆᔮᓪ, ᑯᐊᐸᒃᒥᑦ ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓂᓪᓗ. 1992−ᖑᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ, 220 ᐅᖓᑖᓃᑦᑐᓂᑦ ᐳᓪᓚᐅᑉ ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᖏᑦ ᓴᖅᑭᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᑎᑎᖅᑐᒐᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᑭᙵᕐᓂ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᑕᒫᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᐅᔭᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᑦ ᓄᐊᑕᐅᓯᒪᓲᓂᑦ.