Johnny Inukpuk

Johnny Inukpuk (Inuktitut ᔭᓇ ᐃᓇ; 1911–2007) was an important Inuk artist, known as a sculptor and storyteller. His son Charlie Inukpuk is also a sculptor.

Career Johnny Inukpuk began carving in the early 1950s while living on the land. James Houston, an artist, author and filmmaker who played an important role in promoting the recognition of Inuit artists, encouraged him to continue. His themes were childrearing, domestic and hunting activities. Mother with Child Playing String Games (c.1955, National Gallery of Canada) is an example of his strong approach, careful workmanship, and naturalistic detail. In 1973, Johnny Inukpuk was made a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts. the Musée des beaux-arts du Canada, the University of Pittsburgh Art Gallery, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and the University of Michigan Museum of Art.