Arctic Whales

Description

Kavavaow was born in Brandon, Manitoba in 1958 where his mother, Paunichea, was hospitalized for treatment of tuberculosis. He returned to Cape Dorset as a very young child and has lived there since.Kavavaow has demonstrated a range of stylistic abilities over the years – from the very literal to the more expressive. His thematic concerns include depictions of Inuit legends and mythology, Arctic wildlife and an interest in some of the more contemporary aspects of Inuit life. He has a penchant for placing his human characters in unusual situations, well illustrated in this year’s Airlift (2009-7). In this touching little etching, the understanding between the hunter and his collaborator is representative of the mutual respect between all living things in Inuit traditional belief systems. Morning Melody (2009-8) may well be the most beautiful image in this year’s collection.Kavavaow is the latest among the second generation to attract critical acclaim from the contemporary arts audience in the south. He and Suvinai Ashoona have been profiled, along with Nick Sikkuark of Gjoa Haven, in the Winnipeg-based arts magazine, Border Crossings. He traveled to Toronto in June of last year for his first solo exhibition of original drawings, and this year to Vancouver for another exhibition featuring his contemporary work.For several years Kavavaow has worked for the Kinngait Studios as a printmaker – first in the lithography studio and more recently in the stonecut studio. He is an accomplished and precise printmaker who enjoys the opportunity to demonstrate printmaking techniques to young artists and visitors to the studio.Kavavaow lives with his wife and son Peter in Cape Dorset.