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National Gallery of Canada

      Meet the Artist Home     
The Beginnings
 The Beginnings
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First Drawings
 First Drawings
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Hunting Scene Hunting Scene, c. 1959-1960
 Hunting Scene, c. 1959-1960
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Complex of Birds Complex of Birds, 1960
 Complex of Birds, 1960
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The Enchanted Owl The Enchanted Owl, 1960
 The Enchanted Owl, 1960
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The Enchanted Owl Use of colors - The Enchanted Owl, 1960
 Use of Colors - The Enchanted Owl, 1960
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Fantasy Fantasy, c. 1963-1968
 Fantasy, c. 1963-1968
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Drawing for "The Owl" Drawing for "The Owl", c. 1969
 Drawing for 'The Owl', c. 1969
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Two Owls, c. 1975
 Two Owls, c. 1975
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Composition Composition, 1992-1993
 Composition, 1992-1993
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Kenojuak Ashevak     
In 1966, Kenojuak Ashevak and her husband, Johnniebo, settled in Cape Dorset, where she was a contributor to the success of the West Baffin Co-operative print studio. Kenojuak quickly developed a personal style in which her predilection for birds is evident. The artist constantly changes her work, giving free rein to her imagination in her exploration of line, form, and colour.

Kenojuak has also drawn other subjects: camp scenes, shamans, sea goddesses, and metamorphosis (of humans into animals, for example). Although she has represented divinities and characters from legends, she is more interested by the artistic design rather than the story itself.

Since early in her career, Kenojuak has been hailed as one of the most important contemporary Inuit artists. Among her many drawings, some 200 have been reproduced since 1959 in the various Cape Dorset print collections. In 1982, Kenojuak was awarded the rank of Companion of the Order of Canada, the highest Canadian honour for lifetime achievement, for her contribution to Inuit Culture.