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Ulayu Pingwartok
Canadian, 1904 - 1978
Ulayu Pingwartok was a graphic artist from Kinngait (Cape Dorset), NU. Born in 1904 near Kimmirut (Lake Harbour), NU, Pingwartok was adopted as a infant by Jayko and Kitty when her biological father, Echalook, died. The family lived in camps around Kinngait and eventually she settled in Kinngait in the late 1950s with her husband Pingwartok. The couple had six children, two of whom passed away.
In the late 1960s, Pingwartok received treatment in the south twice for tuberculosis before returning to Kinngait, where she was encouraged to create drawings for the print collection. In 1968 her husband died, and Pingwartok moved in with her daughter, Maukituk. Over her lifetime, Pingwartok created over 700 drawings, and 30 of them were made into prints for the Cape Dorset collections in the 1960s and 70s. Primarily focusing on traditional camp life and nature, many of Pingwartok’s works depicted the world around her, and a number of her later drawings examined women’s activities.
Pingwartok’s drawings have been exhibited nationally and internationally. Her work "Surusiit Pingguatut" was shown in Every Possible Future is Multispecies.
In the late 1960s, Pingwartok received treatment in the south twice for tuberculosis before returning to Kinngait, where she was encouraged to create drawings for the print collection. In 1968 her husband died, and Pingwartok moved in with her daughter, Maukituk. Over her lifetime, Pingwartok created over 700 drawings, and 30 of them were made into prints for the Cape Dorset collections in the 1960s and 70s. Primarily focusing on traditional camp life and nature, many of Pingwartok’s works depicted the world around her, and a number of her later drawings examined women’s activities.
Pingwartok’s drawings have been exhibited nationally and internationally. Her work "Surusiit Pingguatut" was shown in Every Possible Future is Multispecies.