David Ikutaaq (1929 - 1984)

1929 – 1984

David was born in the Kazan River area, Nunavut in 1929 and moved to Baker Lake in 1960. He began exhibiting his sculptures in 1964 and eventually joined the ranks of master Inuit sculptors.

A prolific carver during his career, David enjoyed portraying the daily activities of the Inuit. Many of his sculptures depict scenes of hunting, family life, and arctic fauna. His smooth, rounded forms in human and animal shapes appear with an apparent minimal alteration of the natural shape of the stone.

David has left a wonderful legacy of carvings behind, many of which have ignited bidding wars at auction. His pieces have been featured in multiple exhibitions and have found their way into both private and museum collections, including the National Gallery of Canada.