Artist Info
Syollie Amituk
Syollie Amituk was a sculptor, graphic artist, and printmaker from Puvirnituq (Povungnituk), QC. Little is known about Amituk’s childhood and early life. He was born in 1936 to a family of well-known carvers, including his older brother, Davidialuk Alasua Amittu, and their cousin Joe Talirunili, one of the founders of the Puvirnituq printmaking shop. With the opening of the printmaking shop in the early 1960s, Amituk was among the first artists to try his hand at printing.
Although better known for his works on paper, Amituk’s early artistic experience focused on sculpture. As a printmaker, he mainly used stonecutting techniques, but also worked with stencils. Amituk became one of Puvirnituq’s most recognized printmakers and was a cherished member of the community. Amituk’s subject matter shifted over the years. In the 1960s, his work often featured simplistic images of birds and other singular perspectives. By the 1970s, Amituk’s work featured more active scenes, legends, and reflections of traditional ways. He also began to incorporate descriptive syllabics and larger groupings of animals into his work. Amituk’s prints from the mid-1980s showcase his skill, with highly detailed narrative scenes, often rendered in multiple perspectives.
After the death of his first wife, Amituk married Annie Tukatoo and the couple moved to Kuujjuarapik (Great Whale River), QC, keen to work in the community’s new print shop. He later married Sarah Tillikas Ijikitu. Unfortunately, Amituk became discouraged with printmaking when the print shop in his new community struggled and he only occasionally made prints when he returned to Puvirnituq. Over 30 of Amituk’s prints have been included in the Puvirnituq annual print collection from the mid-1970s to late 1980s. His works have been exhibited across Canada and internationally; they have not yet been shown at the ULAG.
