Quebec City fine arts museum highlights work of Inuk sculptor in new exhibit

For the first time,Quebec City's fine arts museum is devoting an exhibition to a single Inuk artistManasie Akpaliapik.

Originally from thenorthwestern part of Baffin Island inNunavut,Akpaliapikisconsidered one of the most gifted artists of his generation.

He creates sculptures and carvings out ofwhale bones, caribou antlersor walrus ivory, among other materials.

The Muse national des beaux-arts du Qubecnow holds the largestcollection of his workin the world, following a donation from private collector and dealerRaymondBrousseau.

In a new exhibition, running untilFebruary2023,40 of Akpaliapik's sculptures are displayed.

Speaking with CBC's All in a Weekend,Akpaliapik said he began creating art as a child.

"When Iwas little, we didn't have a lot of toys.The snow was one of my biggest toys.Iused to make little carvings out of it," he said.

Akpaliapik learned to carve from his grandparents, who taught him traditional stories and legends.

He spent time watching his grandfather and felt inspired to follow in his footsteps.

"It was so peaceful and I wanted to do the same, because when he created something, it used to amaze me. Out of one piece of stone, something would come out of it a bear or a hunter. That fascinated me."

Akpaliapiksaid his creative process is linked to his home in the north.

"I like to go back to the north to get some materials and to get grounded again, to get back to nature," he told CBC.

When it comes to the materials he uses,Akpaliapik said they help to guide and inspire him.

"The whale bones are one of the more interesting materials to work with because they have differentcoloration, different texture. You can get so many ideas just looking at the shape and the colour,as opposed to having a block of stone."

"Alot of my artwork, I think what makes it unique,is that I follow the shape of the material a lot of time, the colour, instead of imposing my ideas so much. Ihave an idea but the material is the boss to me."

Now with a one-year-old grandchild,Akpaliapikis thinking about his art in relation to the future generations of people who will encounter the stories, animals and landscapes that he captures.

"When I'm doing my art, it's all about the connection between the natural world and spiritual world," he said, "Ithink that's what keeps me in tune with my culture."

"The only way to capture this is through art and booksand we have to do it if we want to keep them forour next generation."

LISTEN |Manasie Akpaliapik reflects on his artistic process: