About The Artist

“A couple of years ago I made Shaman Revealed, a drawing that was based on the Kiviuq legend of a woman turning into a fox. I wanted to show how people could change from one thing to another but still be the same person. A zipper came to mind and I thought, that’s a really nice idea, so I used the zipper to show how they change.”

Quote from Uuturautiit: Cape Dorset Celebrates Fifty Years of Printmaking, 2009.

Since her first prints appeared in the collection in 2004, Ningeokuluk has been one of Kinngait’s studio’s most celebrated artists. She has a comprehensive knowledge of Inuit legends and a fine sense of design and composition. These elements that have made many of her prints highly sought after by collectors. Ningeokuluk has had numerous solo shows of her bold and resplendent drawings and some of her work has been featured in exhibitions in major public galleries and museums.

Born May 27, 1963, Ningeokuluk is the daughter of Joanasie Salomonie (deceased) and his wife Kanajuk. Her father, Joanasie, was a community leader and much loved in Cape Dorset for his sense of humour, mischief and compassion.

In the fall of 2009, Ningeokuluk’s first children’s book was published by Groundwood Books (A Division of House of Anansi Press). Entitled Alego, it is an autobiographical story of a young girl named Alego who goes clamdigging with her grandmother for the first time and, along the way, discovers all of the wonders of the seashore. The book was short-listed for the Governor General’s Literary Award for children’s illustration.

Selected Refference: Cape Dorset Annual Print Collection, 2013.

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Ningeokuluk is steadily emerging as a versatile and intelligent graphic artist. She is becoming more prolific as her experience and confidence grow, and is comfortable with both traditional and more contemporary themes and approaches. This year, she is represented in the annual print collection for the fifth time with eight images.

The influence of the past is tangible in Ningeokuluk's work. Inspired by stories and legends told by Mialia Jaw to schoolchildren in Cape Dorset, Ningeokuluk is one of a new generation of Inuit artists who are bringing the tales back to life in graphic form. The Brothers (2008-22) is a story about three brothers who had been hunting for too long without success. Eventually they put up their tent for the night but they couldn't ignore their hunger; they had to keep looking for food. Before leaving the tent, each brother sang out a wish. The first brother wished that he would become a wolf; the second brother wished to become a fox and the third brother wished to leave the tent as a raven. With each wish granted, the raven flew off and spotted a caribou and returned to tell his brothers. They worked together to catch the caribou and their hunger was sated.

Oral tradition takes a more modern form in the recent and true story of The Owl and the Boy (2008-20). This cautionary tale illustrates a time when the children's playtime was interrupted by a great snowy owl that swooped down and picked up a small boy. Terrified, the children all ran home and the story is still told to warn of unforeseen dangers and playing too far from home.

Born May 27, 1963, Ningeokuluk is the daughter of Joanasie Salomonie (deceased) and his wife Kanajuk. Her father, Joanasie, was a community leader and much loved in Cape Dorset for his sense of humour, mischief and compassion. Ningeokuluk works full-time for the municipal government in Cape Dorset, and devotes her spare time to her family and whatever time she can to her drawing, which she does at home. Her husband, Simeonie Teevee is a musician and plays with his band at community events in Cape Dorset and at music festivals around Nunavut.

Selected Refference: http://www.strongnations.com/