Seated Bear, c. 1980
by George Arlook (1949-2023), Inuit
soapstone
3" high x 3" wide x 3" deep
As one of the foremost Inuit artists in the Keewatin Region of Nunavut, Canada, George Arlook worked in a highly formalized abstract expression, a departure from the more realistic depiction common to other Inuit artists. Master sculptors such as John Tiktak, John Pangnark, and John Kavik were considerable influences over a young Arlook, as he served his apprenticeship under their tutelage in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut.
George Arlook was born on May 5, 1949 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He spent his early childhood in Eskimo Point (now called Arivat), and has always considered it to be his home. His father, Sevuoi Aiyarani, was also a carver. Charlie Panigoniak, his brother, is a well known singer and songwriter in the north. George traveled extensively, and has lived and worked in Rankin Inlet, Baker Lake, Chesterfield Inlet, Winnipeg, and Churchill, Manitoba.
Arlook lived in Rankin Inlet from 1956 to 1975. He began to teach himself how to carve at the age of nine, and sold his first piece for 75 cents in 1960. By 1968, George was becoming known as a very talented and original artist, As he gained confidence in his ability to work with the hard stone of the Keewatin region, he was encouraged by the older carvers to test his own expression.
While working with a variety of different stone types and experimenting with other media, Arlook stretched his artistic vision in a contemporary style, all the while paying homage to the cultural and artistic traditions of the Keewatin master sculptors. By the mid- 70s he had developed a highly unique style of semi-abstraction and became famous for it.
His work can be found in the permanent collections of the Canadian Museum of Civilization, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Vancouver Art Gallery, Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia, and the National Museum of the American Indian at the Smithsonian.
