Ink drawings were popularized in Alaska in the mid-20th century by Inupiaq artists such as Robert Mayokok (1903-1983) and George Ahgupuk (1911-2001) and Siberian Yupik artist Florence Nupok Malewotkuk (1906-1971). Drawn on either paper or bleached seal or caribou skin, the drawings always showed aspects of traditional life and usually incorporated the landscape as well.

These two small-scale works by John Elavgak are charming scenes, rendered with simplicity and keen observation. The first is a bear encounter, in which one hunter lies flat in the snow while the other flees the scene entirely, broken spear abandoned between them. The bear advances at a measured pace, seemingly indifferent to the panic unfolding around it. It’s a wry depiction of different priorities in a moment of crisis; funny not because it’s exaggerated, but because it feels so recognizably human in its quiet absurdity.

The second shows a communal drum dance, with seated musicians and people dancing before a windbreak, their movements animated yet contained. Elavgak’s line is unassuming but deliberate, capturing not just actions, but decisions, rhythms, and the intimacy of human response to music.

First Arts with Christopher W. Smith