Josiah Nuilaalik, the eldest son of Jessie Oonark, was adopted by his paternal grandmother but grew up alongside the rest of his family. He married Ruth Qaulluaryuk in 1948, and food shortages later prompted a move to Baker Lake in the late 1950s.

Rejecting the robust minimalism of the Baker Lake style, Nuilaalik developed a personal approach that is almost baroque by comparison. Though he claimed no direct shamanic knowledge, his works often explore transformation and Inuit spirituality. Caribou Shaman on the Run exemplifies this, seamlessly blending human and animal forms. The pose here suggests a shaman mid-gallop in caribou form, caught in a fevered run from unseen pursuers. For all its intensity, however, the work also carries a playful edge. The figure’s pronounced underbite, marked by two protruding antler teeth, introduces a note of caricature, while the tail flicks upward with almost comic exaggeration. The result is both striking and delightfully eccentric.

MBL

References: For other works by the artist, see Robert Kardosh, et. al., Two Great Image Makers from Baker Lake: Sculptures by Josiah Nuilaalik, Wallhangings by Irene Avaalaaqiaq, (Vancouver: Marion Scott Gallery, 1999).