Leevan Etok
b. 1988 Kangiqsualujjuaq, QC
Leevan Etok is certainly a “30 Artists to Know”. Although he has made a few wonderful sculptures in stone, he works mostly in caribou antler, as good carving stone is hard to find around Kangiqsualujjuaq. Leevan had the good fortune to have Daniel Annanack as a mentor, and, while his earlier works resemble those of Daniel, Leevan is quickly developing his own, unique style, characterized by clean, very detailed bas-relief work. Some of his best carvings are of dog teams, which demonstrate that he really knows and understands that subject. Upon close observation you can see that he has very precisely rendered each of the individual planks of the qamutiik (sled). He has also done impressive hunting and family scenes, utilizing the natural shapes of the antler. Often Leevan will leave some of the original patina of the antler, creating a beautiful contrast between the natural and polished surfaces. His work incorporates traditional subject matter and themes, which he is able to expertly render with modern tools and techniques. In 2015, a carving by Leevan won second place in the Carving Contest organized by La Fédération des coopératives de Nouveau-Québec. My only problem with Leevan is that we would like to see more of his work!