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i u a pi pu pa ti tu ta ki ku ka gi gu ga mi mu ma ni nu na si su sa li lu la ji ju ja vi vu va ri ru ra qi qu qa ngi ngu nga lhi lhu lha

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Davidialuk Alasua Amittu, ᑎᕕᑎᐊᓗ

Settlement: Povungnituk / Puvirnituq

(1910-1976) — E9-824

Davidialuk Alasua Amittu was born in 1910 in Nunagiirniraq Camp, Northern Quebec. A prolific and talented artist, much of his work contains a narrative element, relaying the stories and legends of traditional Inuit culture. 

An indifferent hunter, Davidialuk lived in poverty until he gained recognition as a folk artist near mid-life. Only then could he afford the hunter's indispensable dog team (and later snowmobile). Davidialuk was also a spellbinding storyteller - sharing stories based on legends, myths and of his own invention. These he later translated into stone carvings, prints and drawings. His last creative outpouring suggests an urgent need to articulate his personal view of Inuit history and morals.

His brother, Syollie Awp once made some tapes of Davidialuk's stories and would play them in the local print shop to inspire other artists. 

Davidialuk had a close relationship with his cousin Joe Talirunili and they both produced many sculptures in the 1950s and graphics in the 1960s. Both men enjoyed long and fruitful careers, and passed away within months of each other in 1976.

Davidialuk is the father to Puvirnituq artists Johnny Amituk and Aisa Amittu. His wife, Maina Aqurtu Assappa was a carver. Davidialuk's brother is Syollie Awp, and his nephew is Davidee Anutigirk, who are also artists in Puvirnituq.


Exhibitions

  • A Memorial Show of Prints by Davidialuk, Snow Goose Associates
  • An Enduring Tradition: Inuit Carving from Arctic Quebec, Inuit Gallery of Vancouver
  • Arctic Mirror, Canadian Museum of Civilization
  • Arctic Quebec Print Collection *74, (annual collection)
  • Arctic Quebec Print Collection II *74, (annual collection)
  • Arctic Quebec Sculpture, Inuit Gallery of Vancouver
  • Arctic Spirit 35 Years of Canadian Inuit Art, Frye Art Museum
  • Arctic Values '65, New Brunswick Museum with the cooperation of the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs
  • Arctic Vision: Art of the Canadian Inuit, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Canadian Arctic Producers
  • By the Light of the Qulliq: Eskimo Life in the Canadian Arctic, Smithsonian Institution, A travelling exhibition of Inuit art from the Feheley Collection
  • Canadian Eskimo Art: a representative exhibition from the collection of Professor and Mrs. Philip Gray, Fine Arts Gallery, Montana State University
  • Contemporary Inuit Drawings, Macdonald Stewart Art Centre
  • Contemporary Inuit Drawings, Muscarelle Museum of Art College of William and Mary
  • Crafts from Arctic Canada/Artisanat de l'arctique canadien, Canadian Eskimo Arts Council
  • Daviadialuk Alasuaq: Inuit Artist of Northern Quebec, Ministere des affaires culturelles du Quebec
  • Davidee Alasuaq: Artiste Inuit du Nouveau-Quebec, Tuttavik
  • Davidialuk Memorial Exhibition, The Guild Shop
  • Die Kunst aus der Arktis, Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Ottawa, presented by Commerzbank
  • Drawings and Sculpture by Joe Talirunili and Davidialuk Amittu, The Innuit Gallery of Eskimo Art
  • Early Masterpieces of Inuit Sculpture, Feheley Fine Arts
  • Eskimo Art in Northern Quebec, presented by La Federation des Cooperatives du Nouveau-Quebec at "Man and His World"
  • Eskimo Carvings and Prints from the Collection of York University, Art Gallery of York University
  • Eskimo Fantastic Art, Gallery 111, School of Art, University of Manitoba
  • Eskimo Narrative, Winnipeg Art Gallery
  • Eskimo Sculpture and Prints, Hartford National Bank, From the Inuit Art Collection of Mr. and Mrs. James F. Bacon
  • Espaces Inuit, Maison Hamel-Bruneau
  • Esquimaux, Peuple du Quebec, Musee du Quebec
  • Exhibition of Inuit Art, Harbourfront Centre organized by the Macdonald Stewart Art Centre, Guelph
  • Exhibition of Inuit Art, Glenhyrst Art Gallery organized by the Macdonald Stewart Art Centre, Guelph
  • Granville Island Canadian Inuit Sculpture Exhibition (first exhibition), Vancouver Inuit Art Society
  • Grasp Tight the Old Ways: Selections from the Klamer Family Collection of Inuit Art, Art Gallery of Ontario
  • Hunter of the Sacred Game: Traditional Life on the Land, Organized by the Arts and Learning Services Foundation
  • Hunters of Old, Inukshuk Galleries Inc.
  • Im Schatten der Sonne: Zeitgenossische Kunst der Indianer und Eskimos in Kanada/In the Shadow of the Sun: Contemporary Indian and Inuit Art in Canada, Canadian Museum of Civilization
  • Immaginario Inuit Arte e cultura degli esquimesi canadesi, Galleria d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea
  • Inuit Art in the 1970s, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, and the Agnes Etherington Art Centre
  • Inuit Art: Tradition and Regeneration, Canadian Museum of Civilization
  • Inuit Drawings, Inuit Gallery of Vancouver
  • Inuit Graphics from the Collection of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Musee des beaux-arts de Montreal
  • Inuit Master Artists of the 1970s, Inuit Gallery of Vancouver
  • Inuit Masterworks: Selections from the Collection of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, McMichael Canadian Collection
  • Inuit Myths, Legends and Songs, Winnipeg Art Gallery
  • Inuit Survival, Enook Galleries, Waterloo, Ontario Presented at the University of Waterloo Art Gallery
  • Inuit Woman: Life and Legend in Art, Winnipeg Art Gallery
  • La deesse inuite de la mer/The Inuit Sea Goddess, Musee des beaux-arts de Montreal
  • La Vie et l'Oeuvre de Davidialuk Alasuaq, Musee du Quebec
  • Le Quebec, 30 ans de presence en milieu nordique, Complex H (a provincial government building)
  • Les Inuit du Nouveau-Quebec, Musee du Quebec
  • Masterwork Sculpture 1985, Inuit Gallery of Vancouver
  • Multiple Realities: Inuit Images of Shamanic Transformation, Winnipeg Art Gallery
  • Mythmakers: Davidialuk and Talirunili, Winnipeg Art Gallery
  • Noel au Chateau - Art inuit de la collection Macdonald Stewart Art Centre, Macdonald Stewart Art Centre Guelph, Ontario presented at Chateau Dufresne
  • Northern Exposure: Inuit Images of Travel, Burnaby Art Gallery
  • Oral Tradition, National Museum of Man
  • Originale Inuit Tegninger: Selections from the Macdonald Stewart Art Centre, Guelph, Canada, Musikhuset
  • Povungnituk, Winnipeg Art Gallery
  • Povungnituk Print Collection *62, (annual collection)
  • Povungnituk Print Collection *64, (annual collection)
  • Povungnituk Print Collection *65, (annual collection)
  • Povungnituk Print Collection *66, (annual collection)
  • Povungnituk Print Collection *68, (annual collection)
  • Povungnituk Print Collection *69 (for catalogue see Povungnituk Prints 1960-1970 Retrospective), (annual collection)
  • Povungnituk Print Collection *72, (annual collection)
  • Povungnituk Print Collection *73, (annual collection)
  • Povungnituk Print Collection *75, (annual collection)
  • Povungnituk Print Collection *76, (annual collection)
  • Povungnituk Print Collection *77, (annual collection)
  • Povungnituk Print Collection *78, (annual collection)
  • Povungnituk Print Collection *82, (annual collection)
  • Prints from Povungnituk 1962-1988, Albers Gallery of Inuit Art
  • Return of the Birds, Inuit Gallery of Vancouver
  • Sanaugasi Takujaksat: A Travelling Celebration of Inuit Sculpture, Presented by Canadian Arctic Producers Ltd., with the assistance of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Ottawa
  • Sculpture by Davidialuk, Fleet Gallery
  • Sculpture in Miniature, Canadian Guild of Crafts Quebec
  • Sculpture of the Inuit: Lorne Balshine Collection/Lou Osipov Collection/ Dr. Harry Winrob Collection, Surrey Art Gallery
  • Sculpture of the Inuit: Masterwork Exhibitors of the Canadian Arctic, Inuit Gallery of Vancouver
  • Sculpture/Inuit: Masterworks of the Canadian Arctic, Canadian Eskimo Arts Council
  • Selections from the Toronto-Dominion Collection of Eskimo Art, National Arts Centre
  • Small Sculpture from Across the Arctic, The Innuit Gallery of Eskimo Art
  • Sojourns to Nunavut: Contemporary Inuit Art from Canada, at Bunkamura Art Gallery, presented by the University of British Columbia Museum of Anthropology and The McMichael Canadian Art Collection
  • Spirits and Shamans/Esprits et chamans, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
  • Spoken in Stone: an exhibition of Inuit Art, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies
  • Stones, Bones, Cloth, and Paper: Inuit Art in Edmonton Collections, Edmonton Art Gallery
  • Stories in Stone: Soapstone Sculptures From Northern Quebec and Kenya, La Federation des Cooperatives du Nouveau-Quebec
  • Takamit - Canadian Eskimo Art: Selections from Private Collections and the Government of Canada, Organized by La Federation des Cooperatives du Nouveau-Quebec and the Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum, Rutgers University
  • The Arctic/L'Artique, UNESCO
  • The Art of the Eskimo, Simon Fraser Gallery, Simon Fraser University
  • The Coming and Going of the Shaman: Eskimo Shamanism and Art, Winnipeg Art Gallery
  • The Early Years - Fifties and Sixties, The Innuit Gallery of Eskimo Art
  • The Early Years: Sculpture from the 50's and 60's, The Innuit Gallery of Eskimo Art
  • The Eskimo Art Collection of the Toronto-Dominion Bank, Toronto-Dominion Bank
  • The First Passionate Collector: The Ian Lindsay Collection of Inuit Art, Winnipeg Art Gallery
  • The Inuit Amautik: I Like My Hood To Be Full, Winnipeg Art Gallery
  • The Inuit Imagination, Winnipeg Art Gallery
  • The Inuit Print/L'estampe inuit, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and the National Museum of Man
  • The Inuit Sea Goddess, Surrey Art Gallery, (organized to complement the Musee des beaux-arts de Montreal exhibit of the same name)
  • The Jacqui and Morris Shumiatcher Collection of Inuit Art, Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery, University of Regina
  • The Oral Tradition, National Museum of Man
  • The Spirit of the Land, The Koffler Gallery
  • The Swinton Collection of Inuit Art, Winnipeg Art Gallery
  • Things Made by Inuit, La Federation des Cooperatives du Nouveau-Quebec
  • Ulu/Inua: Form and Fantasy in Eskimo Art, Casino Gallery, Ravinia Park
  • Uumajut: Animal Imagery in Inuit Art, Winnipeg Art Gallery
  • Winnipeg Collects: Inuit Art from Private Collections, Winnipeg Art Gallery

Collections

  • Agnes Etherington Art Centre, Queen's University, Kingston
  • Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Victoria
  • Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto
  • Art Gallery of York University, Downsview
  • Avataq Cultural Institute, Montreal
  • Canada Council Art Bank, Ottawa
  • Canadian Guild of Crafts Quebec, Montreal
  • Canadian Museum of Civilization, Hull
  • CIBC Collection, Toronto
  • Dennos Museum Center, Northwestern Michigan College, Traverse City
  • Eskimo Museum, Churchill
  • Fitzgerald Collection, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Banff
  • Glenbow Museum, Calgary
  • James and Mary Jack Collection, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana
  • Macdonald Stewart Art Centre, Guelph
  • McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg
  • Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon
  • Musee d'Art Contemporain de Montreal, Montreal
  • Musee de la civilisation, Quebec City
  • Musee des beaux-arts de Montreal, Montreal
  • Musee du Quebec, Quebec City
  • Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver
  • National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa
  • New Brunswick Museum, Saint John
  • Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto
  • Saputik Museum, Povungnituk
  • Toronto-Dominion Bank Collection, Toronto
  • Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Banff
  • Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg
  • York University, Toronto

Publications

  • KAROO ASHEVAK 1940-1974 — Sculpture, Author: Upstairs Gallery, Publication: Winnipeg: The Upstairs Gallery. (1977)

Artwork

Title Last Sold At Auction
#1 LEGEND OF LUMAK; WAITING FOR GEESE 2017-03 (March 2017)
A LOON EATING A FISH UNDER THE WATER 2010-06 (June 2010)
A SHAMAN WHO TREATED HIS WIFE LIKE A DOG 2011-04 (April 2011)
ALIGHTING OWL 2016-06 (June 2016)
AN ESKIMO TAKEN BY AN OWL 2010-05 (May 2010)
ATUNGAK ENTERING THE SNOW HOUSE OF THE KUKILIGASIAK 2015-11 (November 2015)
BIG OWL CARRIES OFF AN ESKIMO 2017-03 (March 2017)
BIRD AND FISH 2007-04 (April 2007)
BIRD IN NET 2012-11 (November 2012)
BIRD WITH OUTSTRETCHED WINGS 2020-11 (November 2020)
CAMP BY KAYAK 2011-09 (September 2011)
CARIBOU HUNTERS 2016-06 (June 2016)
CHILDREN TRYING ON ADULT CLOTHES 2014-06 (June 2014)
CROUCHING MOTHER AND CHILD 2018-11 (November 2018)
DOG BY IGLOO 2009-02 (February 2009)
ESKIMO WOMAN TRANSFORMED INTO A SEA GULL 2010-05 (May 2010)
FEEDING LOONS 2011-04 (April 2011)
FIGURES ON A SLEEPING PLATFORM 2014-11 (November 2014)
FISH 2007-04 (April 2007)
FROG 2017-02 (February 2017)
GOOSE 2013-05 (May 2013)
GOOSE LAYING AN EGG 2012-11 (November 2012)
HE DISCOVERS THE NESTING OWLS 2018-03 (March 2018)
HUNTER STRUGGLING WITH CATCH 2014-06 (June 2014)
HUNTER WITH RIFLE 2023-04 (April 2023)
HUNTER WRESTLING BEAR CUB 2023-06 (June 2023)
HUNTING BY SLED IN THE WINTER 2008-10 (October 2008)
HUNTING IN THE SUMMER 2013-06 (June 2013)
INUIT HUNTING GEESE WITH HARPOONS IN THE TIME BEFORE THEY HAD GUNS 2011-01 (January 2011)
INUIT LEGEND 2012-04 (April 2012)
KADYUTAGUK GIVING BIRTH TO A LITTLE BROTHER FOR HER SON 2008-10 (October 2008)
KADYUTAGUK IN THE IGLOO AND TUNITUARAK GIVING BIRTH TO A LITTLE BROTHER FOR HER SON 2010-05 (May 2010)
KAJUTAIJUG (THE EVIL SPIRIT THAT COMES KNOCKING IN THE NIGHT) 2021-02 (February 2021)
KAJUTAIJUQ, THE EVIL SPIRIT THAT COMES KNOCKING IN THE NIGHT 2013-06 (June 2013)
KATYUTAYUUQ 2021-12 (December 2021)
KATYUTAYUUQ ATTACKING A MAN 2019-05 (May 2019)
KITJUAJURG, 1975 2024-01 (January 2024)
KUTJUJAJURQ 2008-10 (October 2008)
LEGEND 2009-11 (November 2009)
LEGEND OF LUMAK 2011-04 (April 2011)
LEGEND OF LUMIAK #2 2008-10 (October 2008)
LEGEND OF THE EAGLE WHO TOOK THE SMALL GIRL TO BE HIS WIFE 2020-08 (August 2020)
LEGEND OF THE GIANT 2011-04 (April 2011)
LEGEND OF THE HUNTER WHO ENCOUNTERED A MERMAID 2020-02 (February 2020)
LEGEND OF THE OWLS WHO ASSUMED HUMAN FORM 2020-02 (February 2020)
LEGEND: HAUK [SIC] ARRIVES AT CAMP BY KAYAK 2016-09 (September 2016)
LEGEND: OGRE KILLING A HUNTER 2014-06 (June 2014)
LIDDED BASKET ADORNED WITH LOUSE EATING GRUBS 2013-02 (February 2013)
LOON 2014-11 (November 2014)
LOON AND FISH IN NET 2011-11 (November 2011)
LOON EATING A FISH UNDER THE WATER 2010-06 (June 2010)
LOON EATING FISH 2010-11 (November 2010)
LOON EATING FISH UNDER THE WATER 2019-11 (November 2019)
LOON, 1962 2024-01 (January 2024)
LOONS 2010-03 (March 2010)
LOONS FEEDING IN THE LAKE 2020-01 (January 2020)
LOONS OPENING BLIND BOY’S EYES 2008-10 (October 2008)
LOONS WARN THE HUNTER THAT A CARIBOU IS NEAR 2010-06 (June 2010)
LOUSE 2013-11 (November 2013)
MOTHER WITH CATERPILLAR CHILD 2015-11 (November 2015)
MOTHER WITH CHILDREN 2019-11 (November 2019)
OLD STORY OF A WOMAN WHO DISAPPEARED WHILE SHE WAS GATHERING TWIGS 2008-10 (October 2008)
OLD STORY OF ESKIMO HUNTERS GOING TO THE ISLAND FOR WALRUS HUNT 2019-11 (November 2019)
OWL & HARE 2008-11 (November 2008)
OWL AND YOUNG 2010-04 (April 2010)
OWL CAUGHT A LOON 2018-05 (May 2018)
OWL CAUGHT IN TRAP 2017-11 (November 2017)
OWL EATING A LOON 2014-06 (June 2014)
OWL LAYING AN EGG 2013-05 (May 2013)
OWLS AT NIGHT 2022-10 (October 2022)
PACK-DOG WITH LADEN SADDLE 2016-02 (February 2016)
POLAR BEAR ATTACKING WOMAN 2014-06 (June 2014)
RECLINED SEDNA 2019-09 (September 2019)
RELIEF CARVED PLAQUES 2017-11 (November 2017)
SEAL EATING 2012-11 (November 2012)
SEAL HUNTING; OLD STORY OF A WOMAN WHO DISAPPEARED WHILE SHE WAS GATHERING TWIGS 2016-03 (March 2016)
SEDNA AND FIGURE 2007-04 (April 2007)
SEDNA CAUGHT IN A NET 2018-11 (November 2018)
SEDNA SWIMMING WITH YOUNG 2015-06 (June 2015)
SHAMAN/BIRD 2007-11 (November 2007)
SPIRIT WITH INUK 2009-04 (April 2009)
STANDING BEAR 2019-11 (November 2019)
STANDING WOMAN CARRYING BAG 2021-12 (December 2021)
STORY ABOUT HUNTING 2008-10 (October 2008)
STORY ABOUT HUNTING; LEGEND OF THE EAGLE 2013-06 (June 2013)
STORY OF SONEKULUAK 2018-08 (August 2018)
STORY OF THE BIG GIANT INUKPUK 2013-05 (May 2013)
SWIMMING FISH 2021-07 (July 2021)
THE BLIND BOY DREAMING OF THE LOONS WHILE HE IS UNDER WATER 2011-04 (April 2011)
TRAVELLING BY KAYAK; ATUNGAK MEETS THE LITTLE PEOPLE 2012-05 (May 2012)
TWO HORSESHOE CRABS 2016-11 (November 2016)
TWO HUNTERS WITH CAPSIZED KAYAK 2019-05 (May 2019)
TWO MEN FIGHTING 2021-02 (February 2021)
UNDRESSING 2021-05 (May 2021)
UNTITLED 2012-11 (November 2012)
UNTITLED 2013-02 (February 2013)
UNTITLED 2009-04 (April 2009)
UNTITLED 2007-04 (April 2007)
UNTITLED 2010-08 (August 2010)
UNTITLED 2009-04 (April 2009)
UNTITLED (A MAN HUNTING SEAL WITH HIS DAUGHTER WHO STARTED FOR HOME AHEAD OF HER FATHER. SHE MET A POLAR BEAR AND WAS EATEN ALIVE) 2014-01 (January 2014)
UNTITLED (AN ESKIMO TAKEN BY AN OWL) 2014-01 (January 2014)
UNTITLED (FEEDING TIME) 2013-07 (July 2013)
UNTITLED (YOUNG GIRL CARRIED OFF BY AN OWL) 2016-08 (August 2016)
WALRUS AND POLAR BEAR 2015-06 (June 2015)
WALRUS AND YOUNG 2012-06 (June 2012)
WHALE CAUGHT IN A NET 2016-02 (February 2016)
WINTER HUNTING IN THE OLD DAYS 2020-11 (November 2020)
WINTER HUNTING IN THE OLD DAYS; LEGEND OF ENURARAULIK FOLLOWING THE TRACK OF A FOX WHO HAD A TRAP ON HIS RIGHT LEG 2014-10 (October 2014)
WIZARDS LEGENDS 2017-11 (November 2017)
WOMAN WHO MARRIED A DOG 2013-11 (November 2013)
WOMAN WITH BAG AND KAMIK 2015-06 (June 2015)
WOMEN SEWING KAYAK AND MAN COOKING 2008-10 (October 2008)

Recent Auction Results

LOON, 1962
Estimate: 400 — 600
Sold: Jan 2024 — Sold For: $676.50
KITJUAJURG, 1975
Estimate: 200 — 300
Sold: Jan 2024 — Sold For: $61.50
HUNTER WRESTLING BEAR CUB
Estimate: 500 — 700
Sold: Jun 2023 — Sold For: $492
HUNTER WITH RIFLE
Estimate: 400 — 600
Sold: Apr 2023 — Sold For: $390
OWLS AT NIGHT
Estimate: 200 — 400
Sold: Oct 2022 — Sold For: $144
KATYUTAYUUQ
Estimate: 1,200 — 1,800
Sold: Dec 2021 — Sold For: $1,080

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