Son of the respected Cape Dorset sculptor Sharky Nuna (1918-1979), Taqialuq first tried his hand at carving as a young child. He took up carving more seriously in his twenties and has been working as a sculptor steadily since that time. Taqialuq is best known for his carvings of polar bears – usually single animals, but sometimes depicted in pairs or small family groups, but has been known to carve the occasional mask.

This Mask is an impressively large example. It is not meant to hang on a wall but rather is a sculpture meant to be displayed flat or perhaps at an angle. Interestingly, Taqialuq incised a caricature-like face – perhaps a cheeky self-portrait – alongside his signatures on the backside of the work. It certainly contrasts with the serene expression of the work itself.