Luke Anguhadluq facts for kids

Luke Anguhadluq (1895–1982; Inuktitut syllabics: ᓗᒃ ᐊᖑᐊᓗᖅ) was a talented Inuit artist from Baker Lake, Canada. He is known for his unique drawings, prints, and sculptures that show traditional Inuit life and stories.

Luke Anguhadluq: An Inuit Artist

His Early Life and Family

Luke Anguhadluq was born in 1895 near Chantrey Inlet. He belonged to the Utkuhikhalingmiut people. This name means "people of the stone for cooking pots."

Anguhadluq grew up living a traditional life. He hunted and fished off the land in the Back River area. By age 28, he was a skilled hunter and a respected leader in his camp. His community kept their traditions strong, even as Europeans settled nearby.

In the 1950s, the caribou changed their migration paths. This caused a famine, meaning there wasn't enough food. Anguhadluq led his family away from Back River. They moved to Schultz Lake and Whitehills Lake. In 1961, they finally settled in Qamani'tuaq, also known as Baker Lake.

Luke Anguhadluq had three wives and seven children. Two of his sons were adopted. One of his wives, Marion Tuu'luq, was also a well-known artist. She made beautiful wall-hangings and drawings.

Anguhadluq lived in an igloo in winter and a skin tent in summer until he was 72. He hunted and fished almost every day around Baker Lake. Luke Anguhadluq passed away on February 2, 1982, at age 87. He was buried on a hill overlooking Baker Lake, a place where he often watched for caribou.

Becoming an Artist

Anguhadluq started his art career when he was 65 years old. He might have been inspired by his cousin, Jessie Oonark, who was also a famous artist. Luke used art materials that were easy to find in Baker Lake. He made drawings, prints, and sculptures. He often drew while sitting on the ground, with the paper between his legs. He would turn the paper as he worked.

Crafts Officers in Baker Lake quickly saw Anguhadluq's amazing talent. They encouraged him to keep drawing. Some of his prints were sent to the Canadian Eskimo Arts Council. This led to a new printmaking program in Baker Lake in 1969.

Many of Anguhadluq's drawings were turned into prints. His sons, Thomas Iksiraq and Barnabus Oosuaq, often made these prints. They became skilled printmakers themselves. Luke Anguhadluq created 81 prints in total. These prints were part of the annual Baker Lake Print Collection until he died.

Jack Butler, a Craft Officer, said Anguhadluq was a respected elder. Because of this, his art was also highly respected. Other printmakers were allowed to change drawings for their prints. But Anguhadluq's drawings were always kept exactly as he made them. This showed how much people admired him.

What His Art Looked Like

Anguhadluq's drawings showed the customs of the Utkuhikhalingmiut people. He also drew about his own experiences. Hunting, drum dancing, and people from his community were often his inspirations. After being encouraged by the Craft Officers, he also started to add mythical creatures and stories to his art. Later, he even found inspiration in modern objects, like bedsprings.

His art style is described as "abbreviated." This means he used simplified images and careful lines. He often used different viewpoints in one drawing. He would also repeat subjects to create interesting visual effects.

Art historian Cynthia Cook described Anguhadluq's work in two main periods. The early period was from 1960 to 1969. During this time, he often used felt-tip pens and a few colored pencils. His early drawings showed small figures with strong, uneven lines. These figures were often surrounded by a lot of empty paper.

His later period was from 1970 to 1982. In these drawings, he used graphite and colored pencils on handmade paper. The figures were often larger and more balanced on the page. He also started using color to make his art more appealing. Color helped him organize his subjects and give special meaning to the figures. He also used multiple viewpoints in his later work. This helped him show complicated events and express his feelings about time and space.

Where You Can See His Art

Exhibitions and Shows

Anguhadluq's art has been shown in over 94 exhibitions. These shows took place all over the world between 1970 and 1996. Six of these exhibitions showed only his work.

Two of his most famous shows include a joint exhibition with his wife, Marion Tuu'luq, in 1976. Another was a solo exhibition organized by the Art Gallery of Ontario. This show was held at the National Art Gallery of Canada from 1993 to 1995.

Art Collections Around the World

Works by Luke Anguhadluq are held in many important collections. You can find his art at:

• The Agnes Etherington Art Centre in Kingston, Ontario
• The Canadian Guild of Crafts Quebec in Montréal, Quebec
• The Canadian Museum of History in Hull, Quebec
• The Klamer Family Collection at the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto, Ontario
• The Victoria and Albert Museum in London, UK
• The Edmonton Art Gallery in Edmonton, Alberta
• The National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, Ontario
• The Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec in Québec, Quebec
• The Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia in Vancouver, British Columbia

His art is also available at commercial galleries like Feheley Fine Arts in Toronto, Ontario, and Spirit Wrestler Gallery in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Awards and Recognition

Anguhadluq received a special cultural award. This award allowed him to attend the shared exhibition with his wife at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. He has also been featured many times in the magazine Inuit Art Quarterly. He is known as a very important Canadian artist. His work is held in the collections of at least 25 galleries and museums worldwide.