GEORGE ARLUK (AIYARANI; ARLOO; ARLOOK; ARLU; ARLOOQ) Born: May 5, 1949 Male E3-1049 Place of Birth: Winnipeg, Manitoba Resides: Arviat; also lived in Baker Lake, Rankin Inlet Sculpture
The sculpture of George Arlook appears non-traditional in many ways. As one of the foremost Inuit artists in the Keewatin Region, Northwest Territories, Arlook works in a highly formalized abstract expression, a departure from the more realistic depiction of Inuit life and art common to other artists. This form of expression is characteristic of the great master sculptors John Tiktak, John Pangnark, and John Kavik, all of whom exercised considerable influence over the young Arlook, as he served his "apprenticeship" as a carver under their tutelage in Rankin Inlet. Arlook's current work is a tribute to his teachers and an extension of the form through his highly personalized rendering of various themes. George Arlook was born on May 5, 1949, at the King George Hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba (hence the choice of his Christian name). He is the fourth child from a family of seven, and is the only one who carves. He spent his early childhood in Eskimo Point (now called Arivat), and has always considered it to be his home. His father, Sevuoi Aiyarani, was also a carver. Charlie Panigoniak, his brother, is a well known singer and song-writer in the north. George traveled extensively, and has lived and worked in Rankin Inlet, Baker Lake, Chesterfield Inlet, Winnipeg, and Churchil1, Manitoba. Arlook lived in Rankin Inlet from 1956 to 1975. He began to teach himself how to carve at the age of nine, and sold his first piece for 75 cents in 1960. By 1968, George was becoming known as a very talented and original artist, He studied the works of Tiktak, Kavik, and Pierre Karlik, and spent many hours in conversation with these artists. As he gained confidence in his ability to work with the hard stone of the Keewatin region, he was encouraged by the older carvers to test his own expression. While working with a variety of different stone types and experimenting with other media, Arlook has stretched his artistic vision in a contemporary style, all the while paying homage to the cultural and artistic traditions of the Keewatin master sculptors to which he is the heir. By the mid- 70s he had developed a highly unique style of semi-abstraction and became famous for it. Arlook likes to depict single figures such as drum dancers, hunters, or mothers with babies in their hoods, as well as his favourite animal, the musk-ox. Sometimes he groups figures together to form abstracted compositions of gently curving forms that undulate rhythmically. Arlook's sculptures often have antler parts that protrude in complex patterns from the stone.
..."Arluk began to teach himself how to carve soapstone at age 9. In the 1960s he was influenced by sculptors Tiktak and Kavik and John Pangnark. By the mid-1970s he had developed a unique style of semi-abstraction. He depicts single figures such as hunters and mothers with babies in their hoods. Most often he groups figures together to form abstracted compositions of gently curving forms that undulate rythmically. His sculptures often have antler parts added that protrude in complex patterns from the stone." D. Wight Canadian Encyclopedia 1985. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Following is an extract from an
interview conducted by Joe Camp, a staff writer for ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ EXHIBITIONS: January - March 1972 Eskimo Fantastic Art Gallery 111, School of Art, University of Manitoba Winnipeg, Manitoba (tour) (illustrated catalogue) 1974 Inuit Sculpture 1974/Sculpture Inuit 1974 Lippel Gallery Montreal, Quebec (illustrated catalogue) March - July 1976 The Mulders' Collection of Eskimo Sculpture Winnipeg Art Gallery Winnipeg, Manitoba (illustrated catalogue) August - Sep 1977 Two Artists - Sculpture/Arlook, Drawings/Qarlisaq Image of the Inuit Contempo Westwood Centre Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. March - June 1978 The Coming and Going of the Shaman: Eskimo Shamanism and Art Winnipeg Art Gallery Winnipeg, Manitoba (illustrated catalogue) August - Nov 1978 The Zazelenchuk Collection of Eskimo Art Winnipeg Art Gallery Winnipeg, Manitoba (illustrated catalogue) October - Nov 1978 Eskimo Art Embankment Gallery London, England (illustrated catalogue) March - April 1979 Sculpture of the Inuit: Lorne Balshine Collection/Lou Osipov Collection/ Dr. Harry Winrob Collection Surrey Art Gallery Surrey, British Columbia (illustrated catalogue) July 1979 - May 1980 Inuit Art in the 1970s Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, and the Agnes Etherington Art Centre Kingston, Ontario (tour) (illustrated catalogue) Nov - Dec 1979 In Celebration Canadian Guild of Crafts Quebec Montreal, Quebec Jan - Feb 1980 Inuit Master Artists of the 1970s Inuit Gallery of Vancouver Vancouver, British Columbia February - April 1981 Rankin Inlet/Kangirlliniq Winnipeg Art Gallery Winnipeg, Manitoba (illustrated catalogue) Sep - Oct 1981 The Jacqui and Morris Shumiatcher Collection of Inuit Art Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery, University of Regina Regina, Saskatchewan (illustrated catalogue) April 1982 Sculpture Inuit: Stone/Bone circa 1960-1979 Canadiana Galleries Edmonton, Alberta Oct - Dec 1982 Collector's Choice: 1965-1980 Inuit Gallery of Vancouver Vancouver, British Columbia (illustrated catalogue) April - May 1986 Sixty Diminutive Eskimo Carvings Images of the North San Francisco, California May - June 1986 The Spirit of the Land The Koffler Gallery Toronto, Ontario (illustrated brochure) May - June 1987 [Inuit Art Exhibition] Whitby Arts Incorporated, The Station Gallery Whitby, Ontario July - November 1987 Useful Bits of Bone Winnipeg Art Gallery Winnipeg, Manitoba September 1987 The Williamson Collection of Inuit Sculpture Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery, University of Regina Regina, Saskatchewan (tour) (illustrated catalogue) Sep - Nov 1987 The Swinton Collection of Inuit Art Winnipeg Art Gallery Winnipeg, Manitoba (illustrated catalogue) October 1987 [L'art inuit] Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Chambre de Commerce de Chateauroux France Nov - Dec 1987 Art Inuit Canadian Guild of Crafts Quebec Montreal, Quebec Dec 1987 - Feb 1988 Inuk, Inuit: Art et tradition chez les esquimaux d'hier et d'aujourd'hui presented by L'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai, at Musee des Beaux-arts d'Arras Arras, France (illustrated catalogue) April 1988 [L'art inuit] Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Palais de L'Europe, Le Touquet France July 1988 [L'art inuit] Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Chapelle de la Visitation, Thonon France November 1988 [L'art inuit] Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Les Martres-de-Veyre France November 1988 Primitive Art from the Arctic Arctic Artistry Hartsdale, New York, U.S.A. December 1988 [L'art inuit] Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Galerie des Tanneurs, Mulhouse France February - March 1989 [L'art inuit] Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at St. Marcellin France March - April 1989 [L'art inuit] Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Galerie Autre Regard, Paris France April 1989 Legacy in Stone: Carvings from the Canadian Arctic Four Winds Gallery Sydney, Australia (illustrated brochure) June - July 1989 Art Inuit Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Galerie Sanguine, La Rochelle France July - September 1989 Mother and Child: Selections from the Inuit Collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario Art Gallery of Ontario Toronto, Ontario August 1989 Arviat: Eskimo Point Marion Scott Gallery Vancouver, British Columbia (illustrated catalogue) October 1989 Art Inuit, Sculpture des Esquimaux du Canada Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Galerie La Poutre, Marseille France December 1989 Art Inuit, la Sculpture des Esquimaux du Canada Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Les Chiroux, Centre Culturel de la Wallonie, Liege Belgium January - Sep 1990 Arctic Mirror Canadian Museum of Civilization Hull, Quebec February - March 1990 Beeldhouwkunst van de Inuit (Canada) by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai, France at Amphora Finippon pvba, Sint Andries, Brugge, Belgium June - July 1990 Small Sculptures from across the Canadian Arctic Feheley Fine Arts Toronto, Ontario August 1990 Traditions and Innovations in Inuit Art Sculpture in Stone Images of the North San Francisco, California, U.S.A. (illustrated brochure) Nov - Dec 1990 Art Inuit: Autour de la Collection de Cape Dorset 1990 Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Centre Culturel Canadien Paris, France Nov 1990 - Feb 1991 Espaces Inuit Maison Hamel-Bruneau Ste-Foy, Quebec (illustrated catalogue) January 1991 Bears of the North Snow Goose Associates Seattle, Washington, U.S.A. April - June 1991 Art Inuit Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Galerie La Tour des Cardinaux L'Isle sur la Sorgue, France June - July 1991 Art Inuit Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Galerie Ombre et Lumiere Ensisheim, France Aug - Sep 1991 Art Inuit Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Galerie Akenaton Troyes, France Oct - Dec 1991 Art Inuit Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Galerie Maite Aubert Le Havre, France Oct 1992 - Jan 1993 Drawings and Sculpture from Baker Lake Winnipeg Art Gallery Winnipeg, Manitoba (illustrated brochure) April - July 1993 Multiple Realities: Inuit Images of Shamanic Transformation Winnipeg Art Gallery Winnipeg, Manitoba (illustrated brochure) Sep - Nov 1993 The Bear: Sculpture Albers Gallery San Francisco, California, U.S.A. Nov 1993 - Mar 1994 The Inuit Imagination Winnipeg Art Gallery Winnipeg, Manitoba 1994 Kanuitpit? Kunst und Kulturen der Eskimo: Eine Auswahl aus den Museumssammlungen Staatliches Museum fur Volkerkunde Munchen Munich, Germany (illustrated catalogue) July 1994 Arctic Spirit 35 Years of Canadian Inuit Art Frye Art Museum Seattle, Washington, U.S.A. Sep - Oct 1994 Kunst van de Inuit Eskimo's Gemeentelijk Kunstcentrum Huis Hellemans Edegem, Belgium (illustrated brochure) May - July 1995 Tundra & Ice: Exceptional Sculpture from Canada Orca Aart Gallery Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. July - Sep 1995 The Inuit: Managers of the Land Chrysalis Gallery Southampton, New York, U.S.A. January - Feb 1996 Not Just a Dancing Step... Galerie D'Art Vincent Ottawa, Ontario (illustrated catalogue) March - April 1996 Major/Minor Marion Scott Gallery Vancouver, British Columbia SOLO EXHIBITIONS: 1968 Sculpture by George Arlook Winnipeg Art Gallery Winnipeg, Manitoba 1969 George Arlook Sculpture University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta December 1972 Sculpture by Arlook of Rankin Inlet The Innuit Gallery of Eskimo Art Toronto, Ontario July - August 1979 George Arlook - The Song in the Stone Images of the North San Francisco, California, U.S.A. (illustrated catalogue) July - August 1980 George Arluk - Sculpture Canadian Guild of Crafts Quebec Montreal, Quebec (illustrated catalogue) January 1982 George Arluk Inuit Galerie Mannheim, Germany (illustrated catalogue) December 1988 Abstract in Stone Northern Reflections Eskimo Art Gallery La Jolla, California, U.S.A. December 1992 George Arluk Inuit Galerie Mannheim, Germany Dec1993 - Jan 1994 The Sculpture of George Arlook Richard Rapfogel Fine Arts Saint Louis, Missouri, U.S.A. COLLECTIONS: Amway Environmental Foundation Collection, Ada, Michigan, U.S.A. Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario Canadian Guild of Crafts Quebec, Montreal, Quebec Canadian Museum of Civilization, Hull, Quebec Eskimo Museum, Churchill, Manitoba Inuit Cultural Institute, Rankin Inlet, Northwest Territories Klamer Family Collection, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Musee des beaux-arts de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia Natonal Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum, Brunswick, Maine, U.S.A. Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories Red Deer and District Museum and Archives, Red Deer, Alberta Sarick Collection, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario University of Lethbridge Art Gallery, Lethbridge, Alberta Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia Williamson Collection, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, Manitoba HONOURS, ACHIEVEMENTS and EVENTS: 1972 Received a Canada Council travel grant to attend the opening of his solo exhibition at the Innuit Gallery of Eskimo Art in Toronto. 1987 Commissioned to create a sculpture to be auctioned with all proceeds going to the Keith Rawlings Memorial Scholarship Fund; the monies raised to be used to assist northern native students to careers in business. 1988 Attended the opening of his solo exhibition 'Abstract in Stone' in La Jolla, California. 1991 George presented a carving demonstration at the Winnipeg Folk Festival in July. 1993 The Inuit Galerie of Mannheim, Germany, features reproductions of Arluk's sculpture in their 1993 calender. 1993 Attended Greater Columbus Arts Festival in Ohio (June 2-6, 1993) to give a carving demonstration. SELECTED REFERENCES: Blodgett, Jean THE COMING AND GOING OF THE SHAMAN: Eskimo Shamanism and Art. Winnipeg: Winnipeg Art Gallery, 1979. Brandson, Lorraine E. CARVED FROM THE LAND: The Eskimo Museum Collection. Churchill, Man.: Diocese of Churchill Hudson Bay, 1994. Canada. Indian and Northern Affairs CANADIAN INUIT SCULPTURE. Ottawa: Inuit Art Section, 1992. Canadian Arctic Producers GEORGE ARLUK: Sculpture. Ottawa: Canadian Arctic Producers Cooperative Limited, 1980. Canadian Guild of Crafts Quebec CANADIAN GUILD OF CRAFTS QUEBEC. = GUILDE CANADIENNE DES METIERS D'ART QUEBEC: The Permanent Collection: Inuit Arts and Crafts, c. 1900-1980. Montreal: Canadian Guild of Crafts Quebec, 1980. Embankment Gallery ESKIMO ART AT THE EMBANKMENT GALLERY. London: Embankment Gallery, 1978. Galerie d'art Vincent NOT JUST A DANCING STEP = PLUS QU'UN PAS DE DANSE: An Inuit Art Exhibition organized by Galerie d'art Vincent, Chateau Laurier, Ottawa, Canada = Une exposition d'art Inuit... Ottawa: Galerie d'art Vincent [1996]. Images of the North GEORGE ARLUK: The Song in Stone. San Francisco: Images of the North, 1979. Inuit Galerie GEORGE ARLUK. Mannheim, F.D.R.: Inuit Galerie, 1987. Inuit Galerie GEORGE ARLUK. Mannheim, Federal Republic of Germany : Inuit Galerie, 1981. Inuit Gallery of Vancouver COLLECTOR'S CHOICE: 1965 - 1980. Vancouver: Inuit Gallery, l982. Lippel Gallery Inc. INUIT SCULPTURE 1974/SCULPTURE INUIT 1974. Montreal: Lippel Gallery Inc, 1974. Marion Scott Gallery ARVIAT: Eskimo Point. Vancouver: Marion Scott Ltd, 1989. Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery THE JACQUI AND MORRIS SHUMIATCHER COLLECTION OF INUIT ART. Regina: The Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery, 1981. Northern Reflections ABSTRACT IN STONE: George Arlook [sic]. La Jolla, California: Northern Reflections Eskimo Art Gallery, 1988. Restivo, Gino GEORGE ARLOOK - CARVER. The Inuit Art Enthusiasts Newsletter 41: 10, 1989. Routledge, Marie INUIT ART IN THE 1970s/L'ART INUIT ACTUEL: 1970-79. Kingston, Ont. : The Agnes Etherington Art Centre, 1979. Seidelman, Harold and James Turner THE INUIT IMAGINATION: Arctic Myth and Sculpture. Vancouver/Toronto: Douglas & McIntyre, 1993. Surrey Art Gallery SCULPTURE OF THE INUIT: Lorne Balshine Collection/Lou Osipov Collection/Dr. Harry Winrob Collection. Surrey: The Surrey Art Gallery, 1978. Swinton, George ESKIMO SCULPTURE. = SCULPTURE ESQUIMAUDE. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1965. Swinton, George SCULPTURE OF THE ESKIMO. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1972. Wight, D. GEORGE ARLUK: IN The Canadian Encyclopedia, James H. Marsh, editor-in-chief. Edmonton: Hurtig Publishers, 1:90, 1985. Winnipeg Art Gallery DRAWINGS AND SCULPTURE FROM BAKER LAKE. Winnipeg, Man.: Winnipeg Art Gallery, 1992. Winnipeg Art Gallery RANKIN INLET/KANGIRLLINIQ. Winnipeg: The Winnipeg Art Gallery, 1981. Winnipeg Art Gallery SWINTON COLLECTION OF INUIT ART. Winnipeg Art Gallery, 1987. Winnipeg Art Gallery THE MULDERS' COLLECTION OF ESKIMO SCULPTURE. Winnipeg: The Winnipeg Art Gallery, 1976. Winnipeg Art Gallery THE ZAZELENCHUK COLLECTION OF ESKIMO ART. Winnipeg: The Winnipeg Art Gallery, 1978. |