Mother with Baby Preparing Arctic Char, 1978
by Aisa Qupirualu Alasua (1916-2003)
Povungnituk, Nunavut, Canada
soapstone, bone
9” high x 6” wide x 8” deep
Master artist Aisa Qupirualu Alasua was born in 1916 on the land near the settlement of Povungnituk, Nunavut, Canada. He grew up in the harsh and isolated environment of Canada’s Eastern Arctic, initially surviving as a traditional hunter, trapper and fisherman before moving with his family to the settlement. His innate powers of observation, keen awareness of the natural world, and the vital skills of survival needed to live in this unforgiving land - combined with a love for family and grounded by a rich and ancient cultural legacy – resulted in important sculptural works in soapstone and bone
Povungnituk, together with Kinngait (Cape Dorset) and Inukjuak (Port Harrison), was one of the three earliest settlements to commercially produce and market Inuit art, starting in 1949.
