SIMEONIE ELIJASSIAPIK (SEEMUNIE; SEMEONIE; ELYJASSIAPIK) Born: February 12, 1948 Male E9-1611
Place of Birth: Quaqtaq
Resides: Inukjuak
Sculpture
Simeonie Elijassiapik was born on February 12, 1948 in a small hunting
camp just north of Inukjuak. He is the son of the late Elijassiapik; three of
his brothers are also well-known carvers. Simeonie attended two years of high
school but quit because he felt that the information he was being taught was
not applicable to the Inuit. At present, he lives in Inukjuak with his wife
Lucy, whom he married in 1969, and their children. In addition to carving,
Simeonie operates a local snowmobile repair shop.
Simeonie's father taught him the basic skills of hunting, a task which
they undertook together until Elijassiapik was hospitalized in 1966; Simeonie
continued to hunt, primarily in the company of Johnny Inukpuk. It is not
surprising that the famous artist had a profound influence on the young man's
artistic development. At age fourteen Simeonie began to carve sculpture based
on the theme of the hunt.
Over the years shamanic transformations - man into animal or animal into
man - have dominated this artist's work. Moreover, Simeonie's sculptures have
successfully combined both the influences of his father's traditional approach
with the stylistic conventions of Johnny Inukpuk. A strong undercurrent of
mysticism suggests itself not only in the choice of subject matter, but
perhaps also in the rhythmic flow of lines.
Simeonie's abilities have been highly recognized by his fellow artists,
and in 1981 he was awarded first prize in a carving competition organized by
the members of the Inukjuak Cooperative. His bold individual style has also
found much favour among collectors of Inuit art both in North America and
Europe.
EXHIBITIONS: March 1978 Arctic Oddities
The Innuit Gallery of Eskimo Art
Toronto, Ontario
(illustrated brochure)
November 1981 Arctic Quebec Sculpture/Toni Onley
Watercolours
Houston North Gallery
Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
(illustrated catalogue)
December 1983 Artists of Arctic Quebec
Inuit Gallery of Vancouver
Vancouver, British Columbia
(illustrated catalogue)
October 1984 Inuit Art from Arctic Quebec
La Federation des Cooperatives du
Nouveau-Quebec
presented at the Canada Trade Centre
Tokyo, Japan
January - Feb 1986 Inuit: Eskimo Art of Arctic Canada
Miharudo Gallery
Mejiro, Japan
June 1986 New Beginnings: a celebration of Native
expression at the first Native Business
Summit
Metro Toronto Convention Centre
Toronto, Ontario
August 1986 Arctic Quebec Sculpture
Inuit Gallery of Vancouver
Vancouver, British Columbia
(illustrated catalogue)
July - August 1987 Mother
Gallery Indigena
Stratford, Ontario
(illustrated catalogue)
Dec 1987 - Jan 1988 The Art of the Eskimo
Newman Galleries
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
March 1988 Sculpture: Eli, Harry and Simeonie Elijassiapik
The Guild Shop
Toronto, Ontario
October 1988 Tundra & Ice: Stone Images of
Animals and Man
presented by Orca Aart at the
Adventurers' Club
Chicago, Illinois
November 1988 Echoes of the Drum
Gallery of the Arctic
Victoria, British Columbia
(illustrated catalogue)
February 1989 Arctic Images: Major Sculptures by Canada's
Leading Contemporary Eskimo (Inuit) Artists
at D/Erlien Fine Art Limited
presented by Orca Aart, Chicago
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.A.
November 1990 This Is My World
Presented by Jordan Fine Arts
at the Windmill Gallery
Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.A.
Dec 1990 - Feb 1991 Drummers
The Guild Shop
Toronto, Ontario
May - June 1991 Mother and Child: Sculpture and Prints
Albers Gallery
San Francisco, California, U.S.A.
(illustrated brochure)
June - August 1991 Aux frontieres de l'imaginaire inuit
Galerie du Trait-Carre
Charlesbourg, Quebec
(illustrated brochure)
June - September 1991 Granville Island Canadian Inuit Sculpture
Exhibition (second exhibition)
Vancouver Inuit Art Society
Vancouver, British Columbia
November 1995 Inspiration
Four Decades of Sculpture
Marion Scott Gallery
Vancouver, British Columbia
(illustrated catalogue)
SOLO EXHIBITIONS: 1981 Simeonie Elijassiapik
Marion Scott Gallery
Vancouver, British Columbia
May 1983 Simeonie Elijassiapik: His Recent Sculpture
The Guild Shop
Toronto, Ontario
(illustrated catalogue)
COLLECTIONS: Canadian Museum of Civilization, Hull, Quebec
Ministere des affaires culturelles du Quebec, Quebec City, Quebec
Musee de la civilisation, Quebec City, Quebec
HONOURS, ACHIEVEMENTS and EVENTS: 1981 Was judged first prize winner in a sculpture competition organized by the
Inukjuak cooperative members.
1982 Demonstrated carving at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto. 1984 Travelled to Tokyo to participate in an FCNQ sponsored exhibition at the
Canadian Trade Centre.
SELECTED REFERENCES: Elijassiapik, Simeonie
SIMEONIE ELIJASSIAPIK: His Recent Sculpture. Toronto: The
Guild Shop, 1983.
Gallery Indigena
MOTHER. Kitchener, Ontario: Gallery Indigena, 1987.
Gallery of the Arctic
ECHOES OF THE DRUM. Victoria, B.C. : Gallery of the Arctic, 1988.
Inuit Gallery of Vancouver
ARTISTS OF ARCTIC QUEBEC. Vancouver: Inuit Gallery of
Vancouver, 1983.
Marion Scott Gallery
INSPIRATION: FOUR DECADES OF SCULPTURE BY CANADIAN INUIT:
Curated by Norman Zepp. Vancouver: Marion Scott Gallery [1996].
Noel, Michel
NUNAVIMIUT: ART INUIT = INUIT ART. Pointe-Claire, Quebec:
Roussan en collaboration avec l'Institut cultural AVATAQ, 1992
(Collection LE TAMBOUR).
Roberts, A. Barry
THE INUIT ARTISTS OF INOUCDJOUAC, P.Q: Historical and
Biographical Information for the Viewers and Collectors of
Eskimo Art. Montreal: La Federation des Co-operatives du Noveau
Quebec with the co-operation of the Department of Indian and
Northern Affairs, 1978.
Rothwell, Stephen J.
DEPARTMENT'S EXHIBIT AT CNE POPULAR ATTRACTION. Intercom
(Indian and Northern Affairs Canada), October, 1982.
(c) Inuit Art Section, INAC 1995
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