Inukshuk (Image of Man)
by Isaac Oqutaq, Inuit
Cape Dorset, Nunavut
serpentine
15” high x 8.5” wide x 4” deep
An inukshuk is a structure made of stones piled on top of each other to look like a person, with arms and legs and a head. They were used for navigation in the frozen Arctic north where, in the snow, everything could look the same. They were also used to mark sacred places, and to mark a good hunting or fishing spot.
Isaac Oqutaq is a carver from Kinngait (Cape Dorset), NU. His father is the carver Innuki Oqutaq, and his uncle is Osuitok Ipeelee, the celebrated sculptor. Oqutaq is best known for his sculptures of whales and Inukshuks, which have been exhibited across Canada.
