Inukpuk, Charlie Canadian Alakarialak; Technique: Sculpture Sex: Male-------------------inu-art.comCharlie Inukpuk, son of carver Johnny Inukpuk Sr., was born at Kotak, 72 km north of Inukjuak. He currently resides in Inukjuak. Initially, Inukpuk carved animals, but he is now mostly recognized for his sculptures of mother and child themes. He tends to create large, exaggerated hands in these works, to show the importance of a mother's nurturing.-------- Born: 1941 UNKNOWN Quebec Canada Remarks: Son of Johnie Inukpuk File Location: Thunder Bay Art Gallery - Resource CentreNational Gallery of Canada - Library and Archives(See list of Contributors)--------------------Artist Profile: Charlie Inukpuk (Inukjuaq) Charlie Inukpuk was born in 1941 in an area called Kotak, which is about forty-five miles from Inukjuak. He was the oldest child of the famous Inuit carver, Johnny Inukpuk. Their family moved to Inukjuak in the mid 1960s, so that Johnny would have greater access to marketing his carvings. Charlie learned to carve by watching his father and other carvers. He was never given formal art lessons.In the summer, when work was available, Charlie worked a construction job. In the winter, he carved and hunted. He gets great pleasure from hunting, more so than from producing art works. In the 1970s, when the acquisition of carving stone became problematic in Arctic Quebec, Charlie, like many other resident carvers, stopped carving. Since that time he has produced only two additional sculptures. His decision to consider art making secondary in importance to salaried work is understandable considering his responsibilities as provider of the family. Unfortunately, his great narrative and compositional skills are sorely missed.Charlie and his wife have six children. His powerful evocative works speak of domestic responsibilities. Mother and Child Skinning Bear, found in Gallery #1, speaks to the importance of a mother's role in caring for the family.--------------Charlie InukpukInuit, Inoucdjuak, 1941-Mother and Child Skinning Bear, 1979SoapstonePurchased 19871987.747 The mother and her child are as one in Charlie Inukpuk's Mother and Child Skinning Bear. Mother and child, is an oft repeated theme favored by Inuit sculptors. However, few artists execute their work with the expressive detail that marks Inukpuk's work. Inukpuk has produced a limited number of sculptures during his career as an artist, yet his style is distinctive and his images are powerful. Characteristically, he over emphasizes the figure's physical features that are central to the story or activity he portrays.The activity portrayed in this work is that of a woman separating the hide from the meat of a bear. Therefore the busy hands of the mother are central to the story. Her hand, disproportionally large, holding the traditional ulu knife (with half-moon shaped blade) is finely detailed. Each finger and nail has been carefully rendered. Traditionally, it was a woman's responsibility to butcher and prepare the kill brought home by her husband. Bearskin provided a warm cover for the bed of snow shared by the family inside the igloo.--------------- Charlie Inukpuk b. 1941About the Artist Charlie Inukpuk, son of carver Johnny Inukpuk Sr., was born at Kotak, 72 km north of Inukjuak. He currently resides in Inukjuak. Initially, Inukpuk carved animals, but he is now mostly recognized for his sculptures of mother and child themes. He tends to create large, exaggerated hands in these works, to show the importance of a mother's nurturing.

Exhibitions

• An Enduring Tradition: Inuit Carving from Arctic Quebec, Inuit Gallery of Vancouver
• Arctic Images: Major Sculptures by Canada's Leading Contemporary Eskimo (Inuit) Artists, at D/Erlien Fine Art Limited presented by Orca Aart, Chicago
• Arctic Mirror, Canadian Museum of Civilization
• Arctic Quebec Sculpture, Inuit Gallery of Vancouver
• Art Inuit, Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Le Theatre
• Art Inuit, la Sculpture des Esquimaux du Canada, Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Chapelle de la Visitation, Thonon
• Art Inuit, la Sculpture des Esquimaux du Canada, Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Les Chiroux, Centre Culturel de la Wallonie, Liege
• Art Inuit, Sculpture des Esquimaux du Canada, Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Galerie La Poutre, Marseille
• Art Inuit: Autour de la Collection de Cape Dorset 1990, Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Centre Culturel Canadien
• Art/Inuit/Art: The Rothmans Permanent Collection of Eskimo Sculpture, Rothmans of Pall Mall Canada Ltd.
• Artists of Arctic Quebec, Inuit Gallery of Vancouver
• Aux frontieres de l'imaginaire inuit, Galerie du Trait-Carre
• Beeldhouwkunst van de Inuit (Canada), by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai, France at Amphora Finippon pvba, Sint Andries, Brugge, Belgium
• Charlie Inukpuk - Inukjuak, Inuit Gallery of Vancouver
• Collector's Dolls and Baskets, Canadian Guild of Crafts Quebec
• Contemporary Indian and Inuit Art of Canada, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Ottawa, presented at the General Assembly Building, United Nations
• Early Masterpieces of Inuit Sculpture, Feheley Fine Arts
• Eskimo Narrative, Winnipeg Art Gallery
• Eskimo Sculpture, Winnipeg Art Gallery presented at the Manitoba Legislative Building
• Eskimo Sculpture '69, Robertson Galleries
• Eskimo Sculptures and Works by well-known Canadian Artists, Artfinders Gallery
• Espaces Inuit, Maison Hamel-Bruneau
• Inuit Art: A Selection of Inuit Art from the Collection of the National Museum of Man, Ottawa, and the Rothmans Permanent Collection of Inuit Sculpture, Canada, National Museum of Man, Ottawa and Rothmans of Pall Mall Canada Ltd.
• Inuit Sculpture from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene B. Power, University of Michigan Museum of Art
• Inukpuk Family Sculpture, Arctic Artistry
• Masterwork Sculpture 1985, Inuit Gallery of Vancouver
• Northern Exposure: Inuit Images of Travel, Burnaby Art Gallery
• Our Hoods are Full, Arctic Artistry
• Our Hoods Are Full, Arctic Artistry
• Port Harrison/Inoucdjouac, Winnipeg Art Gallery
• Rothmans' Collection of Inuit Sculpture, Kitchener - Waterloo Art Gallery
• Sculpture in Miniature, Canadian Guild of Crafts Quebec
• The Art of the Eskimo, Newman Galleries
• The Bessie Bulman Collection, Winnipeg Art Gallery
• Through the Eyes of the Shaman, Arctic Artistry
• Tundra & Ice: Stone Images of Animals and Man, presented by Orca Aart at the Adventurers' Club
• Uumajut: Animal Imagery in Inuit Art, Winnipeg Art Gallery
• Works of the Inukpuk Family, Arctic Artistry
• [L'art inuit], Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Palais de l'Europe, le Touquet
• [L'art inuit], Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at St. Marcellin

Collections

• Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Halifax
• Avataq Cultural Institute, Montreal
• Canadian Museum of Civilization, Hull
• Dennos Museum Center, Northwestern Michigan College, Traverse City
• Musee de la civilisation, Quebec City
• Musee des beaux-arts de Montreal, Montreal
• Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver
• National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa
• Rothmans Permanent Collection of Eskimo Sculpture, Toronto
• Sunnybrook Medical Centre, Toronto
• University of Lethbridge Art Gallery, Lethbridge
• Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg

Publications

• LUCY MEEKO (1929-), Author: Craig, Mary, Publication: In North American Women Artists of the Twentieth Century: A Biographical Dictionary/ Garland (1995)