Thomas Ugjuk

Inuit Native Artist Thomas Ugjuk from Rankin Inlet

Rankin Inlet

(1921 – 2012)

Thomas Ugjuk was born in Whale Cove, Nunavut in 1921 and wass the son of renowned Gjoa Haven artist, John Kavik. Thomas Ugjuk’s work is remarkably animated and his style is comparable to that of his father’s.

Both Kavik and Ugjuk were self-taught artists and took to carving whenever they were not hunting. In an interview with the artist in 1993, which appeared in the winter edition of the Inuit Art Quarterly, Ugjuk described the difficulty he had in deciding what to carve. This may be why there are not many of his works available on the market. Ugjuk said, “I would try to concentrate on an idea of mine and gradually expand on it as I went along… and, other times, it seemed that trying to stay with one idea didn’t always work. So, rather than getting stuck with one idea, I would just work on a carving and see what it would become.”

Thomas worked in multiple mediums and both his sculptures and drawings have been featured in numerous exhibitions and museum collections.

Works by this Artist (Present + Past + Public)

Present Works

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  • Hunters Struggling for a Spear

    Thomas Ugjuk

    CA$7,175.00

    Basalt, Antler

    1973

    “A remarkably animated work for the artist whose style is comparable to his father’s (John Kavik). In an interview with the artist in 1993, which appeared in the winter edition of the Inuit Art Quarterly, Ugjuk describes the difficulty he had in deciding what to carve. This may be why there are not many of his works available on the market. Both Kavik and Ugjuk were self-taught artists and took to carving whenever they were not hunting.”

    “Ugluk says, ‘I would try to concentrate on an idea of mine and gradually expand on it as I went along which would lead to some comprehensible form for the carving I was working on. And, other times, it seemed that trying to stay with one idea didn’t always work so, rather than getting stuck with one idea, I would just work on a carving and what it would become’.”