John Tiktak
(1916 - 1981) RCA

John Tiktak was born in January, 1916 at Kareak camp, on the west coast of Hudson Bay between Aqviat [Arviat/Eskimo Point] and Tikiraqjuaq [Whale Cove]. Tiktak lived the traditional, nomadic hunting lifestyle prior to moving to Aqviat in the mid-50's and then to Kangiqlliniq [Rankin Inlet] in 1958. He became interested in sculpture while living in Kangiqlliniq and began his career as an artist in 1963. Like many artists from the Keewatin region Tiktak has a strong interest in the human figure.

Single figures, the mother and child theme and groupings of figures or heads and faces dominate Tiktak's monumental yet austere stone sculpture. A master of both positive and negative space his minimal work is defined by beautifully rounded shapes and a sensitive use of line.

Tiktak's sculpture has been included in group exhibitions since 1970 and he was elected a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 1973. He was one of the first Inuit artists to have a major catalogued exhibition in a public gallery.

Like his contemporary, artist John Kavik, John Tiktak's name is synonymous with sculpture in Kangiqlliniq. John Tiktak died in 1981.

COLLECTIONS:

Agnes Etherington Art Centre, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario
Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario
Canadian Museum of Civilization, Hull, Quebec
Edmonton Art Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta
Eskimo Museum, Churchill, Manitoba
Inuit Cultural Institute, Rankin Inlet, Northwest Territories
McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg, Ontario
Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Musee des beaux-arts de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec
National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario
Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
Red Deer and District Museum and Archives, Red Deer, Alberta
Toronto-Dominion Bank Collection, Toronto, Ontario
Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia
Williamson Collection, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario
Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, Manitoba