Holman Prints - Ulukhaqtuuq Prints - (Nunavut)

Printmaking

Ulukhaqtuuq is the only Western Arctic community with a printmaking program. This artistic practice came about in response to the growing need for economic development at first, such as other Inuit communities in the Canadian Arctic. Inuit artists and Father Henri Tardy, a priest who ran the Catholic mission at Holman from 1949 to the early 1980s, were inspired by the success of the arts and crafts enterprises in other Arctic communities like Kinngait and Panniqtuuq. In Nunavut and Puvirnituq in Nunavik, in order to form the Holman Eskimo Co-operative in 1961.

By the 1960’s, the artists in Ulukhaqtuuq used several printmaking techniques: acid-free etching, lithography, stencil, stonecut, woodcut. Initially, sealskin was used to produce stencils. Since 198, the main techniques have been stencilling and lithography which allow for the detailed, naturalistic depictions that are now the main interest of Ulukhaqtuuq artists.

Traditional subjects as hunting scenes, oral myths and past daily life are depicted by famous artists from Ulukhaqtuuq as: Flossie Papilluq (1904-1994), Mona Ohoveluk (1935-1892), Agnès Nanogak Goose (1925-2001), Alec Aliknak Banksland (1928-1998), Stanley Ilonak Klengenberg (1964-1999), Patrick Akovak Klenbengerg (1944-1976), Helen Kalvak (1901-1984), Mark Emerak (1901-1983), Victor Ekootak (1916-1965).

Harry Igutaq (1925-), Mabel Ninngiuq (1938-), Mary K. Okheena (1957-), Peter Palvik (1960-), Louie Nigiyok (1960-), Roberta Memogana (1971-), Susie Malgokak (1955-), Peter Malgokak (1954-), Elsie Klengenberg (1946-), William Kagyut (1919-), Trex Kangoak Goose (1965-), Julia Manoyok Ekpakohak (1968-), Harry Egotak (1925-) are artists who make drawings and prints with vivid colours and sophisticated compositions. Some of them also make sculptures even if this practice is not very developed in Ulukhaqtuuq.