The elder brother of Osuitok Ipeelee, Sheokjuk probably began carving in ivory in the mid-late 1940s during his time in Kimmirut (Lake Harbour). He returned to the Cape Dorset area in 1948 and began carving in stone at the request of James Houston in 1952. Sheokjuk moved back to Kimmirut again in the years 1954-1959, working in both stone and ivory. The artist lived the remainder of his life in Cape Dorset, working as a carpenter until his death in 1982 but also carving works mostly in stone – becoming best known as a carver of elegant loons and fish. In our opinion he is one of only a handful of artists who managed to create genuine masterpieces in both stone and ivory.

Seated Father and Young Son is a fine sculpture from the 1960s that harkens back to Sheokjuk’s masterful depictions of stone mothers and children from the early 1950s. These, along with numerous “classic” Inuit depictions of mothers and children, from various regions, are works that could be described as iconic. We would suggest that this portrayal of a father and son (perhaps a self-portrait) deserves equal status.

The two figures are presented with solid but beautifully executed volumes and lines, and Sheokjuk pays special attention to the quite expressive faces of both father and son, emphasizing their family resemblance. This is quite different from so many depictions of mothers and children by other artists, in which the children’s faces are often relatively perfunctory. Furthermore, the way in which Sheokjuk has posed the figures suggests that this father is presenting his child to the viewer with true pride and joy. Seated Father and Young Son is a quite rare glimpse into this aspect of Inuit family life, a truly charming and really quite remarkable sculpture.