There is a familiar saying about how many years it takes to become an overnight success and this sentiment can be applied to Judas Ullulaq. For many years he carved in relative obscurity, until the early 1980s when he emerged as one of the foremost sculptors from Taloyoak (then Spence Bay) before later relocating to Uqsuqtuuq (then Gjoa Haven).

Over time Ullulaq developed a style that was unmistakably his own. His figures are instantly recognizable, with distorted faces, wide staring eyes, open mouths, and exaggerated gestures that fill them with emotional intensity. His subjects ranged from the familiar activities of hunting to scenes that explore the spiritual and supernatural, always enlivened by his sharp humour.

The present Happy Hunter with Harpoon embodies this balance. The stance is upright, the shoulders squared, and the arms proportioned like those of a person. The hands are carefully articulated with fingers that grip both harpoon and line, a gesture rooted in the labour of the hunt. Yet the feet belong to another world, broad and rounded, with short claws that call to mind the paws of a bear.

The face carries the same ambiguity. Deep-set antler inlays animate the eyes, slightly misaligned to comic effect. The mouth gapes wide in a grin, revealing two sparse rows of uneven teeth. Taken as a whole, the figure teeters between man and bear, its force residing in the blend of mystery and humour that defines Ullulaq’s greatest works.

MBL