One of Cape Dorset's patriarchs, Tudlik drew deeply upon memories of a traditional way of life in which a hunter's knowledge of the land and its resources was essential. In Excited Man Forgets his Weapons, this familiar world is treated with warmth and wonderful humour. Having spotted a polar bear and cub, the hunter, slack jawed with excitement, sets off on tiptoe towards them, his eager, almost buoyant stride betraying his astonishment. So absorbed is he in the sight before him that he has forgotten his weapons entirely. The largely bare sheet affords the figures ample space, while Lukta Qiatsuk's spare palette of leaden blue and black lends the scene a cool, wintry cast.Against this open expanse, the hunter's comically animated posture becomes a delightful study of excitement overtaking good sense.

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