North Shore Canadian Art
Investment Quality Important Canadian Art

George Arlook (1949-Present)

Title: “Figures”

Medium: Soapstone and Bone

Period: 1990s

Size: 16” x 13” x 5"  

Community: Baker Lake

Price SOLD

"George Arluk began to teach himself how to carve soapstone at age 9. In the 1960's he was influenced by sculptors Tiktak and Kavik and John Pangnark. By the mid-1970s he had developed a unique style of semi-abstraction. He depicts single figures such as hunters and mothers with babies in their hoods. Most often he groups figures together to form abstracted compositions of gently curving forms that undulate rhythmically. His sculptures often have antler parts added that protrude in complex patterns from the stone.

George Arluk's late father, Sevuoi Aiyarani, was also a carver. His brother, Charlie Panigoniak, is a well known singer/song-writer in the north."

-Darlene Wight, The Canadian Encyclopaedia

Also known as Aiyarani, Arloo, Arlook, Arlu, Arlooq, Arluk.

Awards

1972 Received a Canada Council travel grant to attend the opening of his solo exhibition at the Innuit Gallery of Eskimo Art in Toronto

Collections
Canadian Guild of Crafts Quebec, Montreal, PQ
Canadian Museum of Civilization, Hull, PQ
Eskimo Museum, Churchill, MB
Inuit Art Centre, Indian and Northern Affairs, Ottawa, ON
Inuit Cultural Institute, Rankin Inlet, NU
Klamer Family Collection, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, ON
Macdonald Stewart Art Centre, Guelph, ON
Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, SK
Musee d'art Inuit Brousseau, Quebec City, PQ
Musee des beaux-arts de Montreal, Montreal, PQ
Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, ON
Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum, Brunswick, ME
Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, Yellowknife, NT
Red Deer and District Museum and Archives, Red Deer, AB
Sarick Collection, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, ON
University of Lethbridge Art Gallery, Lethbridge, AB
Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, BC
Williamson Collection, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, ON
Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, MB
Amway Environmental Foundation Collection, Ada, MI
Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, ON


Commissions
1987 Sculpture commissioned for auction with proceeds going to the Keith Rawlings Memorial Scholarship Fund to assist northern native careers in business


Credits
1993 The Inuit Galerie of Mannheim, Germany, features reproductions of Arluk's sculpture in their 1993 calendar
1988 Attended the opening of his solo exhibition "Abstract in Stone" in La Jolla, CA
1993 Attended Greater Columbus Arts Festival in Ohio for carving demonstration


Exhibitions
1990 Beeldhouwkunst van de Inuit (Canada) by L'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai, France at Amphora Finippon pvba, Sint Andries, Brugge, Belgium
1990 Three Sculptors; George Arlook, Charlie Kittosuk and Enook Manomie, The Inuit Gallery of Eskimo Art, Toronto, ON
1990 Small Sculptures from across the Canadian Arctic, Feheley Fine Arts, Toronto, ON
1990 Traditions and Innovations in Inuit Art, Sculpture in Stone Images of the North, San Francisco, CA
1990 Art Inuit: Autour de la Collection de Cape Dorset 1990, presented by L'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Centre Culturel Canadien, Paris, France
1990 - 91 Espaces Inuit, Maison Hamel-Bruneau, Ste-Foy, PQ
1991 Bears of the North, Snow Goose Associates, Seattle, WA,
1991 Art Inuit, presented by L'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Galerie Ombre et Lumiere, Ensisheim, France
1991 Art Inuit, presented by L'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Galerie Akenaton, Troyes, France
1991 Art Inuit, presented by L'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Galerie Maite Aubert, Le Havre, France
1992 - 93 Drawings and Sculpture from Baker Lake, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, MB
1993 Multiple Realities: Inuit Images of Shamanic Transformation, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, MB
1993 The Bear: Sculpture, Albers Gallery, San Francisco, CA
1993 - 94 The Inuit Imagination, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, MB
1994 Kanuitpit? Kunst und Kulturen der Eskimo: Eine Auswahl aus den Museumssammlungen Staaliches Museum fur Volderkunde, Munchen, Munich, Germany
1994 Arctic Spirit, 35 Years of Canadian Inuit Art, Frye Museum, Seattle, WA
1994 Kunst van de Inuit Eskimo's Gemeentelijk Kunstcentrum Huis Hellemans Edegem, Belgium
1995 Tundra & Ice: Exceptional Sculpture from Canada, Orca Aart Gallery, Chicago, IL
1995 The Inuit: Managers of the Land, Chrysalis Gallery, Southampton, New York, NY
1995 Images from the Arctic, Galerie D'Art Vincent, Ottawa, ON
1995 - 96 Inuit Art: From the Collection of Maurice Yacowar, Collector's Gallery, Calgary, AB
1995 Canadian Inuit Sculpture - The Next Generation, Orca Aart Gallery, Chicago, IL
1996 Not Just a Dancing Step? Galerie D'Art Vincent, Ottawa, ON
1996 Major/Minor, Marion Scott Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1996 Tundra & Ice IV, Orca Aart Gallery, Chicago, IL
1996 Old Friends, Selections from the Klamer Family, Collection of Inuit Art, Feheley Fine Arts, Toronto, ON
1996 Emerging Spirit, The Banff Centre, organized by Northern Art Impressions Inc., Banff, AB
1997 Stories in Stone: A Canadian Inuit Art Exhibition, Canadian Trade Mission to Korea, Westin Chosun Hotel, organized by McKnight Assoc., Seoul, Korea
1997 The Carver's Truth, Pucker Gallery, Boston, MA
1997 Stone & Bone, The Inuit Master Carvers of the Canadian Arctic, The North West Company, Sun Valley Centre for the Arts, Ketchum, ID
1997 Nunavut/Nunavik: Sculpture in the Time of Change, Spirit Wrestler Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1997 Arviat: Artists of the Past, Present and Future, Inuit Gallery of Vancouver, Vancouver, BC
1999 Sculpture from the Canadian Arctic: Sculptural Expressions; Baker Lake, Arviat, Rankin Inlet, Feheley Fine Arts, Toronto, ON
1999 Horizons, Inuit Gallery of Vancouver, Vancouver, BC
2000 George Arluk: The Artist's Hand Inuit Sculpture Portfolio, Inuit Gallery of Vancouver, Vancouver, BC
2000 Small Sculptures by Great Artists 2000, Feheley Fine Arts, Toronto, ON
2001 Sculpture From Central Arctic, Harris Gallery, Fine Inuit Art, Toronto, ON
1968 Sculpture by George Arlook, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, MB
2001 George Arluk, The Guild Shop, Toronto, ON
1969 George Arlook Sculpture, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
1972 Sculpture by Arlook of Rankin Inlet, The Inuit Gallery of Eskimo Art, Toronto, ON
1979 George Arlook - The Song in the Stone, Images of the North, San Francisco, CA
1980 George Arluk - Sculpture, Canadian Guild of Crafts Quebec, Montreal, PQ
1982 George Arluk, Inuit Galerie, Mannheim, Germany
1988 Abstract in Stone, Northern Reflections Eskimo Art Gallery, La Jolla, CA
1992 George Arluk, Inuit Galerie, Mannheim, Germany
1993 - 94 The Sculpture of George Arlook, Richard Rapfogel Fine Arts, St. Louis, MO
1982 George Arluk, Inuit Galerie, Mannheim, Germany
2000 The Emerging Spirit, Arctic Raven Gallery, Friday Harbour, WA
Our Land Transforming: Celebrating the Enduring Spirit of the Inuit, Arctic Raven Gallery, Friday Harbor, WA
1972 Eskimo Fantastic Art, Gallery 111, School of Art, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB
1974 Inuit Sculpture 1974/Sculpture Inuit 1974, Lippel Gallery, Montreal, PQ
1976 The Mulders' Collection of Eskimo Sculpture, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, MB
1977 Two Artists- Sculpture/Arlook, Drawings/Qarlisaq, Image of the Inuit, Contempo Westwood Centre, Los Angles, CA
1978 The Coming and Going of the Shaman: Eskimo Shamanism and Art, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, MB
1978 The Zazelenchuk Collection of Eskimo Art, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, MB
1978 Eskimo Art, Embankment Gallery, London, UK
1979 Sculpture of the Inuit: Lorne Balshine Collection/Lou Osipov Collection/Dr. Harry Winrob Collection, Surrey Art Gallery, Surrey, BC
1979 - 80 Inuit Art in the 1970s, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and the Agnes Etherington Art Centre, Kingston, ON
1979 In Celebration, Canadian Guild of Crafts Quebec, Montreal, PQ
1980 Inuit Master Artists of the 1970s, Inuit Gallery of Vancouver, Vancouver, BC
1981 Rankin Inlet/Kangirlliniq, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, MB
1981 The Jacqui and Morris Shumiatcher Collection of Inuit Art, Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery, University of Regina, Regina, SK
1982 Sculpture Inuit: Stone/Bone circa 1960-1979, Canadiana Galleries, Edmonton, AB
1982 Collector's Choice: 1965-1980, Inuit Gallery of Vancouver, Vancouver, BC
1986 Sixty Diminutive Eskimo Carvings, Images of the North, San Francisco, CA
1986 The Spirit of the Land, The Koffler Gallery, Toronto, ON
1987 Useful Bits of Bone, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, MB
1987 The Williamson Collection of Inuit Sculpture, Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery, University of Regina, Regina, SK
1987 The Swinton Collection of Inuit Art, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, MB
1987 L'art Inuit, presented by l'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Chambre de Commerce de Chateauroux, France
1987 Art Inuit, Canadian Guild of Crafts Quebec, Montreal. PQ
1987 - 88 Inuk, Inuit:Art et tradition chez les esquimaux d'hier et d'aujourd'hui, presented by L' Iglou Art Esquimau, Doui, Musee des Beaux-arts, Arras, France
1988 L'art Inuit, presented by L'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Palais de L'Europe, Le Touquet, France
1988 Die Kunst aus der Arktis, presented by Inuit Galerie, Mannheim, in Gutersloh, Germany
1988 L'art Inuit, presented by L'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Chapelle de la Visitation, Thonon, France
1988 L'art Inuit, presented by L'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Les Martres-de-veyre, France
1988 Primitive Art from the Arctic, Arctic Ancestry, Hartsdale, NY
1988 L'Art Inuit, presented by L'Iglou Art, Douai at Galerie des Tanneurs, Mulhouse, France
1989 L'Art Inuit, presented by L'Iglou Art, Douai at St. Marcellin, France
1989 Art Inuit, presented by L'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Galerie Sanguine, La Rochelle, France
1989 Arviat: Eskimo Point, Marion Scott Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1989 Art Inuit, la Sculpture des Esquimaux du Canada, presented by L'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Les Chiroux, Centre Culturel de la Walloni Liege, Belgium
1989 Legacy In Stone: Carvings from the Canadian Arctic, Four Winds Gallery, Sydney, Australia
1989 Mother and Child: Selections from the Inuit Collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, ON
1989 Art Inuit, Sculpture des Esquimaux du Canada, presented by L'Iglou Art Esquimau, Douai at Galerie La Poutre, Marseille, France
1990 Arctic Mirror, Canadian Museum of Civilization, Hull, PQ


Publications
1979 Blodgett, Jean. THE COMING AND GOING OF THE SHAMAN: Eskimo Shamanism and Art. Winnipeg: Winnipeg Art Gallery
1982 Blodgett, Jean. WHALE BONE. The Beaver, Autumn, pp 4-11.
1994 Brandson, Lorraine E. CARVED FROM THE LAND: THE ESKIMO MUSEUM COLLECTION. Churchill, Manitoba. Diocese of Hudson Bay
1992 Canada. Indian and Northern Affairs. CANADIAN INUIT SCULPTURE. Ottawa: Inuit Art Section
1980 Canadian Arctic Producers. GEORGE ARLUK: SCULPTURE. Ottawa: Canadian Arctic Producers Cooperative Ltd.
1980 Canadian Guild of Crafts Quebec. THE PERMENANENT COLLECTION: INUIT ARTS AND CRAFTS, c1900-1980." Montreal, PQ
1978 Embankment Gallery. ESKIMO ART AT THE EMBANKMENT GALLERY. London: Embankment Gallery
1983 Graburn, Nelson H.H. INUIT ART: IN THE ARCTIC LIFE: CHALLENGE TO SURVUVE. M Magenau Jacobs & J B Richardson III, eds., Pittsburgh, Carnegie Institute
1979 Images of the North. GEORGE ARLUK: THE SONG IN THE STONE. San Francisco, CA
1987 Inuit Galerie. GEORGE ARLUK. Mannheim, Germany
1981 Inuit Galerie. GEORGE ARLUK. Mannheim, Germany
1990 Inuit Galerie. INUIT MINIATUREN. Mannheim, Germany
1982 Inuit Galerie of Vancouver. COLLECTORS CHOICE: 1965-1980. Vancouver, BC
1974 Lippel Gallery Inc. INUIT SCULPTURE 1974. Montreal, PQ
1989 Marion Scott Gallery. ARVIAT: ESKIMO POINT. Marion Scott Ltd., Vancouver, BC
1987 Musee des Beaux-Arts. INUK, INUIT: ART ET TRADIDITON CHEZ LES ESQUIMAUX D'HIER ET D'AUHOURD'HUI. Arras, France
1981 Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery. THE JACQUI & MORRIS SHUMIATCHER COLLECTION OF INUIT ART. Regina, SK
1988 Northern Reflections. ABSTRACT IN STONE: GEORGE ARLOOK.  La Jolla, CA
1989 Restivo, Gino. GEORGE ARLUK - CARVER. The Inuit Arts Enthusiasts Newsletter. 41:10
1979 Routledge, Marie. INUIT ART IN THE 1970S. The Agnes Etherington Art Centre, Kingston, ON
1993 Seidelman, Harold and James Turner. THE INUIT IMAGINATION: ARCTIC MYTH & SCULPTURE Vancouver/Toronto: Douglas& McIntyre
1965 Swinton, George. ESKIMO SCULPTURE. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart
1972 Swinton, George. SCULPTURE OF THE ESKIMO. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart
1987 University of Regina. THE WILLIAMSON COLLECTION OF INUIT SCULTPURE. The Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery, Regina, SK
1985 Wight, D. GEORGE ARLUK IN THE CANADIAN ENCYCLOPAEDIA. James J. Marsh, editor-in-chief. Edmonton: Hurtig Publishers, 1:90
1993 Wight, D. WINNIPEG COLLECTS: INUIT ART FROM PRIVATE COLLECITONS. Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, MB
1993 Wight, D. MULTIPLE REALITIES: INUIT IMAGES OF SHAMANIC TRANSFORMATION.  April 17-July 25, 1983. Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, MB
1992 Winnipeg Art Gallery. DRAWINGS AND SCULPTURE FROM BAKER LAKE. Winnipeg, MB
1981 Winnipeg Art Gallery. RANKIN INLET/KANGIRLLINIQ.  Winnipeg, MB,
1987 Winnipeg Art Gallery. SWINTON COLLECTION OF INUIT ART. Winnipeg, MB
1976 Winnipeg Art Gallery. THE MULDERS' COLLECTION OF INUIT SCULPTURE. Winnipeg, MB
1978 Winnipeg Art Gallery. THE ZAZELENCHUK COLLECTION OF ESKIMO ART. Winnipeg, MB
1989 MASTERS OF THE ARCTIC: An Exhibition of Contemporary Inuit Masterworks. Ada, MI


Teaching
1991 Presented a carving demonstration at the Winnipeg Folk Festival