Nancy Pukingrnak Aupaluktuq facts for kids

Nancy Pukingrnak Aupaluktuq, born in 1940, is a famous Canadian Inuit artist. She is known for her amazing sculptures, drawings, and textile art. Her artwork often tells stories from Inuit mythology. She also uses a special way of showing depth in her art, like Western artists do.

Nancy Pukingrnak Aupaluktuq: An Inuit Artist

Growing Up in Nunavut

Nancy Pukingrnak Aupaluktuq was born in 1940. Her birthplace was near Chantrey Inlet in what is now the Kivalliq Region of Nunavut. Her mother, Jessie Oonark, was also a very well-known Inuit artist. Nancy has many siblings who are also artists. These include Victoria Mamnguqsualuk, Janet Kigusiuq, and William Noah.

When she was a child, Nancy lived a traditional nomadic Inuit life. This means her family moved from place to place. They followed animals and seasons for hunting and survival. But a very hard winter in 1958 changed things. Her family then moved to the community of Baker Lake. She got married there shortly after.

Becoming an Artist

Nancy started carving sculptures in 1962. Her mother and sister Victoria encouraged her. She began making drawings in 1969. She also creates art using fabric.

Nancy's art often shares stories from Inuit mythology. She has made pictures of famous heroes like Kiviuq and Kavaq. Unlike some older Inuit artists, Nancy's work shows "Western spatial perspective." This means she makes things look like they have depth and distance, similar to how many artists in Europe and North America create art.

Her artwork was first shown in 1974. This was at an exhibit of Baker Lake sculptures in Montreal. In 1976, she had her first solo show. This exhibit was at the Upstairs Gallery in Winnipeg. Nancy has continued to show her art in Canada and around the world. Her pieces are kept in important collections. These include the Canadian Museum of Civilization and the Winnipeg Art Gallery.

In 2006, a special book was published about her. It was called The Legend of Kiviuq as Retold in the Drawings of Nancy Pukirnak Aupaluktuq. This book tells the story of the legendary Inuit hero, Kiviuq, through Nancy's drawings.