One could argue that this impressively large and densely populated sculpture by Anowtalik resembles works by his wife Mary Ayaq and fellow Arviat artist Lucy Tasseor, but the similarities are relatively superficial; to our eyes, this work exhibits Anowtalik’s style and spirit at its purest. True, the style of the faces does closely resemble Ayaq’s, but her compositions are more loosely arranged and are generally peopled by figures as well as faces. Tasseor’s carved faces are quite different; also, her work overall is more abstract, and much sparer in style than either Ayaq’s or Anowtalik’s. On the other hand, with this work Anowtalik does achieve a monumentality that rivals Tasseor’s. We love the rhythm and richness of this sculpture; it looks as if Anowtalik was striving to include every child and grandchild in his large family. The broad ovals that frame many of the faces are probably parka hoods, but they also resemble igloos or tent rings or even drums. Fabulous.

Luke Anowtalik belonged to the Ihalmiut (Caribou Inuit) who lived inland near Ennadai Lake. Orphaned as a boy, Anowtalik and his siblings were cared for by qallunaat in Churchill, Manitoba for two years. He trekked by dog team to Ennadai Lake by himself, searching from camp to camp, went snow blind, and was finally rescued and adopted by the camp leader Andy Aulatjut and his family. Anowtalik married Aulatjut and Nutaraaluk’s daughter Mary Ayaq. The family is frequently mentioned in Farley Mowat’s books People of the Deer (1951) and The Desperate People (1959), which chronicled the starvation and bungled relocations of the Iharmiut to coastal communities. Anowtalik and Ayaq were also featured in a Feb. 27, 1956 Life magazine article about the “Caribou Eskimos.”