Description
Kenojuak is regarded as one of the most notable pioneers of modern Inuit art. Born in an igloo in 1927, she was one of the first Inuit women in Cape Dorset to begin drawing about forty years ago. She has since created thousands of drawings and many carvings from soapstone, etchings, stone-cuts, and prints. In this biography of her life as both an artist and a person, Ansgar Walk records the story of a woman who lost her father by dramatic events in early youth and who, not yet 25 years old, had to be treated for several years for tuberculosis in a hospital far away from home. Many of her children and grandchildren succumbed to disease or accident, as did her husband of 45 years. Nevertheless she has retained her courage, her sense of humour, and her trust in God. Kenojuak tells how from the beginning of this century people on the coast of southwest Baffin Island have tried to solve the problems of daily life. Sixty four photos of the artist, her environment, and her recent work are included.