KAKULU SAGGIAKTOK (1940-2020) KINNGAIT (CAPE DORSET)

In a career spanning five decades, Kakulu produced over 70 graphics but somehow remained in the shadow of her contemporaries. Perhaps this was due to the images selected to be interpreted as prints or possibly the decision of whether to employ lithography versus stonecut might have played a role. What is beyond dispute however is that her earliest print and those produced at the very end of her career are amongst her finest and deserve their spot in the pantheon of Kinngait printmaking. Her 1965 stencil Caribou is well loved and often reproduced and is somewhat reminiscent of early petroglyphs. Fast forward four decades to the arrival of the etching and aquatint process in the Dorset printshop and we see a marriage made in heaven. From her earlier rudimentary style, Kakulu’s style magically jumped to the cutting edge of the contemporary. This stunning graphic is equal parts simplicity and sophistication and exudes a warmth that can light up a room. Superb!