ELISAPEE ISHULUTAK (EELEESEEPEE; ISHULUTAQ; ELIZABETH; EESHUGLUTAK;
EESHULOOTAK; EESHULUTAK; ESHULUTAK)
Born: March, 1925 Female E6-176
Place of Birth: Kanirterjuak in Cumberland Sound
Resides: Iqaluit; also lived in Pangnirtung
Drawings, Prints, Tapestries, Sculpture
Elisapee's husband Kanayuk is a carver. Two of their children, Nicodemus
and Rosie, are also artists.
"Equally talented in drawing as in carving stone, Ishulutaq started her
career as an artist relatively late in life. She was born in 1925 at
Kanirterjuak on the east side of Cumberland Sound, on Baffin island in
Canada's Northwest Territories. The artist experienced the traditional Inuit
lifestyle until 1970 when, at the age of 45, she moved ino Pangnirtung on
Baffin Island.
Ishulutaq's deceptively simple but brilliant drawings capture with a few
pencil lines narrative episodes out of her childhood. These pencil drawings
have been used at the Pangnirtung Weave Shop as designs for stencil prints of
extraodinary lyricism. Her designs charm us with their humor and immediacy.
Through the use of multiple perspective using frontal, profile, and bird's eye
view in the same image, she draws the viewer into the picture plane where
usually everyday domestic happenings are depicted.
Her carvings, using equally simplified forms, have the same appeal and
charm as her drawings."
Maria Muehlen
In "North American Women Artists
of the Twentieth Century: A Biographical
Dictionary" 1995.
EXHIBITIONS: 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1980, Pangnirtung Print Collection
1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1994, (annual collection)
1995 (illustrated catalogue)
April 1973 First Collection of Prints from Pangnirtung
The Innuit Gallery of Eskimo Art
Toronto, Ontario
1974 Crafts from Arctic Canada/Artisanat de
l'arctique canadien
Canadian Eskimo Arts Council
Ottawa, Ontario
(tour)
(illustrated catalogue)
Oct 1975 - Dec 1977 Inuit Games/Inuit Pinguangit/Jeux des inuit
Department of Indian Affairs and
Northern Development
Ottawa, Ontario
(tour)
(illustrated brochure)
November 1976 Hunters of Old
Inukshuk Galleries Inc.
Waterloo, Ontario
Jan 1977 - Jun 1982 The Inuit Print/L'estampe inuit
Department of Indian Affairs and
Northern Development and the
National Museum of Man
Ottawa, Ontario
(tour)
(illustrated catalogue)
1978 Looking South
Winnipeg Art Gallery
Winnipeg, Manitoba
(tour)
(illustrated catalogue)
August 1978 Inuit Games and Contests: The Clifford E.
Lee Collection of Prints
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta
(illustrated catalogue)
Nov - Dec 1978 Polar Vision: Canadian Eskimo Graphics
Jerusalem Artists' House Museum
Jerusalem, Israel
(illustrated catalogue)
September 1979 Pangnirtung Prints and Stonecuts
Northern Images
Inuvik, Northwest Territories
November - Dec 1979 In Celebration of the Arts of the Canadian
Eskimo of Pangnirtung, N.W.T.
Inuit Art Gallery
San Francisco, California, U.S.A.
March - April 1981 Pangnirtung Tapestries/Tapisseries de
Pangnirtung
Canadian Guild of Crafts Quebec
Montreal, Quebec
Apr 1981 - Mar 1982 Inuit Art: A Selection of Inuit Art from
the Collection of the National Museum of
Man, Ottawa, and the Rothmans Permanent
Collection of Inuit Sculpture, Canada
National Museum of Man, Ottawa and
Rothmans of Pall Mall Canada Ltd.
Toronto, Ontario
(tour)
(illustrated catalogue)
May 1981 Pangnirtung Tapestries
The Upstairs Gallery
Winnipeg, Manitoba
May - June 1981 Pangnirtung - Recent Sculpture
Inuit Gallery of Vancouver
Vancouver, British Columbia
(illustrated catalogue)
June 1981 Transformation
The Arctic Circle
Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
(illustrated brochure)
July - August 1981 Eskimo Games: Graphics and Sculpture/
Giuochi Eschimesi: grafiche e sculture
National Gallery of Modern Art
Rome, Italy
(illustrated catalogue)
September 1981 Woven Rugs and Tapestries from Pangnirtung
The Innuit Gallery of Eskimo Art
Toronto, Ontario
1982 Baffin Island Graphics
Arts Induvik Canada Inc.
Montreal, Quebec
(illustrated brochure)
January 1983 Baffin Island Graphics
Pitakvik Galleries
Calgary, Alberta
September 1983 The Way We Were - Traditional Eskimo Life
Snow Goose Associates
Seattle, Washington, USA
Sept - Oct 1983 Inuit Survival
Enook Galleries, Waterloo, Ontario
Presented at the University of Waterloo
Art Gallery
Waterloo, Ontario
Nov 1983 - Jan 1984 Inuit Art at Rideau Hall
Presented by Indian Affairs and Northern
Development
Ottawa, Ontario
Nov 1983 - Mar 1985 Contemporary Indian and Inuit Art of Canada
Department of Indian Affairs and Northern
Development, Ottawa, presented at the
General Assembly Building, United Nations
New York, New York, U.S.A.
(tour)
(illustrated brochure)
March - April 1984 Pangnirtung Woven Tapestries
The Upstairs Gallery
Winnipeg, Manitoba
(illustrated catalogue)
April 1984 Games of the Inuit
Northern Images
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
May 1984 Pangnirtung Woven Tapestries
Northern Images
Inuvik, Northwest Territories
Nov - Dec 1984 Pangnirtung 1984: Eskimo Print Collection
and Sculpture
Images of the North
San Francisco, California, U.S.A.
(illustrated brochure)
Nov - Dec 1984 50 Inuit Prints
Canadian Arctic Producers in
coordination with the Hudson's Bay
Company Inuit Art Marketing Service,
held at Simpson's
Toronto, Ontario
(illustrated brochure)
Jun 1985 - Sep 1987 Chisel and Brush/Le ciseau et la brosse
Department of Indian Affairs
and Northern Development
Ottawa, Ontario
(tour)
(illustrated catalogue)
June - August 1986 Pangnirtung Woven Tapestries
Inuit Gallery of Vancouver
Vancouver, British Columbia
(illustrated catalogue)
July 1986 Pangnirtung Print Retrospective: 1973-1986
Organized by Pangnirtung Eskimo Co-operative
Limited, Pangnirtung, at Inuit Gallery of
Vancouver
Vancouver, British Columbia
(illustrated catalogue)
February 1987 Pangnirtung Tapestries
The Snow Goose
Ottawa, Ontario
February - Jun 1987 The Lindsay and Swartz Collections:
New Acquisitions
Winnipeg Art Gallery
Winnipeg, Manitoba
May - June 1987 [Inuit Art Exhibition]
Whitby Arts Incorporated,
The Station Gallery
Whitby, Ontario
July - Nov 1987 Useful Bits of Bone
Winnipeg Art Gallery
Winnipeg, Manitoba
November - 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)
Jan - Feb 1988 Tapestries from Eskimo Weavers
Arctic Artistry
Hartsdale, New York, U.S.A.
March 1988 Arctic Forms - Inuit Sculpture
Arctic Inuit Art Gallery
Richmond, Virginia, U.S.A.
June 1988 From the Pangnirtung Weave Shop
The Guild Shop
Toronto, Ontario
June - Sept 1988 Building on Strengths: New Inuit Art
from the Collection
Winnipeg Art Gallery
Winnipeg, Manitoba
August 1988 Pangnirtung Woven Tapestries
Inuit Gallery of Vancouver
Vancouver, British Columbia
Dec 1988 - 1989 Im Schatten der Sonne:Zeitgenossische Kunst
der Indianer und Eskimos in Kanada/In the
Shadow of the Sun:Contemporary Indian and Inuit
Art in Canada
Canadian Museum of Civilization
Ottawa, Ontario
(tour)
(illustrated catalogue)
January 1989 Cold Stones, Warm Hearts: Inuit Art
from the Northwest Territories
University of Richmond
Richmond, Virginia, U.S.A.
August 1989 Art Inuit, la Sculpture des Esquimaux
du Canada
Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai
at Chapelle de la Visitation,
Thonon
France
August - October 1989 Inuit Graphic Art from Indian
& Northern Affairs Canada
Winnipeg Art Gallery
Winnipeg, Manitoba
October 1989 Art Inuit, Sculpture des Esquimaux
du Canada
Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai
at Galerie La Poutre, Marseille
France
Oct - Dec 1989 Baffin Images
Orca Aart
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
Jan - Sept 1990 Arctic Mirror
Canadian Museum of Civilization
Hull, Quebec
October - Nov 1990 A Woman's Vision
Art Space Gallery
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
August - Sept 1991 Art Inuit
Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai
at Galerie Akenaton
Troyes, France
Nov - Dec 1991 Art Inuit: Autour de la Collection de Cape
Dorset 1991
Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai
at Le Colombier
Ville D'Avray, France
February 1992 Artists and Weavers III: Fine Tapestries from
Canadian Arctic
Arctic Artistry
Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, U.S.A.
February - April 1992 Art Inuit
Presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai
at Galerie Montador
Dieppe, France
May 1994 Artists and Weavers IV
Arctic Artistry
Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, U.S.A.
May - September 1995 Keeping Our Stories Alive:
An Exhibition of the Art and Crafts
from Dene and Inuit of Canada
Institute of American Indian Arts Museum
Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S.A.
(illustrated catalogue)
Nov - Dec 1995 Miniaturen
Inuit Galerie
Mannheim, Germany
(brochure)
SOLO EXHIBITIONS: May - June 1989 Elisapee Ishulutak: a comprehensive exhibit
including sculpture, prints, drawings &
tapestries
Eskimo Art Gallery
Montreal, Quebec
(illustrated catalogue)
June - July 1990 Carvings by Elisapee Ishulutaq
Galerie aux Multiples
Quebec City, Quebec
COLLECTIONS: Amon Carter Museum of Western Art, Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.A.
Amway Environmental Foundation Collection, Ada, Michigan, U.S.A.
Canadian Guild of Crafts Quebec, Montreal, Quebec
Canadian Museum of Civilization, Hull, Quebec
Clifford E. Lee Collection, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
Dennos Museum Center, Northwestern Michigan College, Traverse City, Michigan, U.S.A.
Inuit Cultural Institute, Rankin Inlet, Northwest Territories
Klamer Family Collection, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario
McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg, Ontario
Musee des beaux-arts de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec
National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario
Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, Manitoba
HONOURS, ACHIEVEMENTS and EVENTS: 1971 Participated in the Pangnirtung experimental graphic workshop from 1970
to 1971.
1973 Won the award of merit for the design of the print "Three Bears" in the
California College of Arts and Crafts International Print Competition.
1982 Baffin Island Graphics commissioned by Arts Induvik Canada Inc.,
Iqaluit to prepare a set of prints to be included in their 1982
Baffin Island Graphics Collection. Five prints by Elisapee Ishulutaq were
included in this collection.
SELECTED REFERENCES:
IM SCHATTEN DER SONNE: Zeitgenoessische Kunst der Indianer und
Eskimos in Kanada. [In the Shadow of the Sun: Contemporary Art
of the Indians and Eskimos in Canada]. Stuttgart: Edition
Cantz. Ottawa: Canadian Museum of Civilization, 1988.
Canada. Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
CHISEL AND BRUSH = LE CISEAU ET LA BROSSE. Ottawa: Indian
Affairs and Northern Affairs Canada, 1984.
Canadian Eskimo Arts Council
CRAFTS FROM ARCTIC CANADA = ARTISANAT DE L'ARCTIQUE CANADIEN.
Ottawa: Canadian Eskimo Arts Council, 1974.
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.
Collinson, Helen
INUIT GAMES AND CONTESTS: The Clifford E. Lee Collection of
Prints. Edmonton: The University of Alberta Collections, 1978.
Eskimo Art Gallery
ELISAPEE ISHULUTAK: A comprehensive exhibit including
sculptures, prints, drawings & tapestries. Montreal: Eskimo
Art Gallery, 1989.
Goldfarb, Barbara
ARTISTS, WEAVERS, MOVERS AND SHAKERS. Inuit Art Quarterly, vol.
4, no. 2, Spring, 1989. pp.14-18.
Hickman, Deborah
PANGNIRTUNG WEAVING WORKSHOP. = L'ATELIER DE TISSAGE DE
PANGNIRTUNG. About Arts and Crafts/L'art et l'artisanat, vol.
5, no. 1, 1982. pp.24-27.
Houston, John
ART & SOUL: A roaring fire destroyed their home, but not their
dreams. A story of the steel spirit and true heart of arctic
art. EQUINOX: No. 81; June 1995, pp. 70-85.
Institute of American Indian Arts Museum
KEEPING OUR STORIES ALIVE: An Exhibition of Art and Crafts from
Dene and Inuit of Canada. Santa Fe, N.M.: Institute of American
Native Arts Museum, 1995.
Muehlen, Maria
ELIZABETH ISHULUTAQ (1925-). In North American Women Artists of
the Twentieth Century: A Biographical Dictionary/ Garland, 1995.
Schrager, Reissa
CHISEL AND BRUSH. Inuit Art Quarterly, vol.1, no. 3, Fall,
1986. pp.12-13.
Van Raalte, Sharon
INUIT WOMEN AND THEIR ART. Communique, May 1975. p.21-23.
Williams, Megan
WEAVING IN PANGNIRTUNG. = LE TISSAGE A PANGNIRTUNG. About Arts
and Crafts/L'art et l'artisanat, vol. 3, no. 2, Autumn, 1979.
pp.24-27.
(c) Inuit Art Section, INAC 1995
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