Lukie Airut Elisapee Inukpuk Sam (Samuel) Sarick

Lukie Airut (1942–2018)

Artist Lukie Airut, known for his intricate and multidimensional sculptures, was born in an outpost camp on Qikiqtaaluk (Baffin Island)’s Alanarjuk Lake, in Nunavut, and later moved to Iglulik, NU, to study carving with artist Pacome Kolaut (1925–1968). Although skilled with stone, Airut eventually shifted his focus to whalebone and walrus ivory—media that allowed him to create highly detailed works in increasing scale.

In addition to his notable skill as an artist, Airut’s contributions to his community established him as a significant figure in Iglulik. “Lukie was revered in the community for his knowledge,” explains writer Sonia Gunderson, who spent a great deal of time with the artist between 2007 and 2008. Gunderson lived with the Airut family for several months and came to know him as an honoured figure in Iglulik. “He was very respected for [his] traditional knowledge and skill.” A keen hunter, Airut’s understanding of and relationship with Arctic wildlife were often reflected in his work.

Some of Airut’s most imposing pieces feature scenes rendered in the cavities of massive whale and walrus bones, while his unique use of incised detailing earned him international recognition—his works have been exhibited in Canada, the US, Europe and Japan. His sculptures are also part of the collections of the National Gallery of Canada, the Winnipeg Art Gallery, the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. “He was a gentle and humble man,” remembers RJ Ramrattan, Showroom Manager at Canadian Arctic Producers. “He was a brilliant artist and an ambassador of the Inuit art world.” Airut’s inspiring work and passionate worldview will be sorely missed.

Elisapee Inukpuk (1938–2018)

Celebrated textile artist Elisapee Inukpuk began making dolls in childhood, learning to sew by watching her mother make kamiik (boots). Over time, she developed her own unique style, incorporating woven grass bases and carved steatite heads, often in collaboration with her husband, artist Charlie Inukpuk, who would make the dolls’ heads for her. Born near Inukjuak, Inukpuk later moved with her family to Kangirqsukallaq.

Inukpuk’s dolls often capture Inuit legends or figures in the midst of daily activities, including hunting, throat singing, sewing and stretching sealskin. When asked about her doll making in IAQ 11.4, she explained, “After the clothes are finished, I put them on the doll and it literally becomes a person. That’s the part I like the best.”

Outspoken in her support for artistic freedom, Inukpuk noted the negative impact anti-seal hunt activist groups had on her work, explaining, “I used to make attractive dolls from sealskin, but we were informed that the people who feel sorry for the animals do not want those kind of dolls anymore. . . . The dolls won’t be purchased in the southern stores because of the impact [activists] had on the market.” Despite this pressure, Inukpuk was steadfast in her belief that artists should continue creating, stating, “We should not be held back just because the local stores don’t buy anymore. We should just go ahead with our given talents and sew.” Throughout her career, Inukpuk enjoyed passing her skills forward, teaching doll making and sewing to the next generation.

Inukpuk’s work has been widely exhibited in Canada and is held in many private collections. In addition to her work as an artist, Inukpuk was a respected elder in her community. “We were given our hands at birth to use,” she explained in a 1996 interview with IAQ. Inukpuk will long be remembered for her dedication to both her artmaking and her community.

Sam (Samuel) Sarick (1930–2018)

Sam Sarick, one of the country’s most prolific and philanthropic collectors of Inuit art, passed away on March 26, 2018. Sam and his wife, Esther, began collecting Inuit ar t in the early 1960s, over time assembling a significant collection of works from across the Canadian North. Sam travelled throughout the North and was regarded as a friend and valiant supporter of many artists. In a recent phone call, Bill Nasogaluak, an artist championed by the Saricks, offered his condolences saying, “Sam and Esther have the largest collection of my work. If a work was good enough for Sam, it was good enough for everybody. They were the standardbearers, and they set the bar very high.”

The Saricks have made significant donations of Inuit art to institutions, including the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, the Winnipeg Art Gallery and most notably the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), to which the Saricks have donated several thousand works since the early 1990s. “Sam was truly a connoisseur collector,” explains Norman Zepp, former Curator of Inuit Art at the AGO, who worked closely with the Sarick Collection. “He and Esther had the most magnificent collection of Inuit art assembled in private hands, remarkable in its scope as well as its depth. The collection included works from most communities across the Canadian Arctic and by nearly every significant artist—often their finest pieces. It is quite wonderful that his legacy remains. That the Sarick Collection is now permanently at the [AGO] is a gift to the county and to Inuit art. Sam was always a gentleman, always supportive. He will be dearly missed.”

Sam, whose dedication to sharing Inuit art has left a tremendous impact on the field, was an active Board Member of both the AGO and the McMichael Canadian Art Collection. He was also a steadfast supportor of the IAF, serving as a member of the inaugural Editorial Advisory of the Inuit Art Quarterly (starting in 1986) and as a founding member of the Inuit Art Foundation’s Board of Directors from 1988 to 1993.