Kananginak Pootoogook

Artist Bio: Kananginak Pootoogook (1935-2010)

Kananginak Pootoogook was born near Cape Dorset, Nunavut (then in the Northwest Territories), and was the son of Josephie Pootoogook, leader of the camp. The family lived a traditional lifestyle; hunting and trapping while living in an igloo in the winter, and a sod house in the summer, and did not move into their first southern-style house until 1942. In 1957, Kananginak moved to Cape Dorset and began work for James Houston.

Originally, Kananginak did some carving and made prints and lithographs for other artists. He was a leader in setting up the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative, the first Inuit owned co-op, and served from 1959 until 1964 as the president. Although Kananginak had worked with his father, Josephie in 1959, it was not until the 1970’s that he began work as a full time artist producing drawings, carvings and prints.

Kananginak has had a distinguished career as both a senior administrator in the Arctic and as an artist:

-In 1980, he was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Art.

-In 1997, the World Wildlife Commission published four of his images in a limited
edition.

-In 1997, he built a 6 foot stone inukshuk for former Governor General of Canada,
RomŽo LeBlanc , which was unveiled at Rideau Hall in Ottawa for National Aboriginal
Day.

– In 2010, he had an exhibition of his work in Vancouver in conjunction with the 2010
Winter Olympics.

-In 2010, he also received a National Aboriginal Achievement Award in the arts category
from the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation.