TORONTO – Acclaimed Inuk contemporary artist Tim Pitsiulak has died at the age of 49, according to a Toronto gallery that had exhibited his work.
In a Facebook post, Feheley Fine Arts described Pitsiulak as having “a heart of gold and endless talent.”
Pitsiulak was born in Kimmirut, Nunavut, in 1967 and had lived in Cape Dorset.
While best known for his drawings, he was also celebrated as an accomplished sculptor, jewelry-maker and photographer.
Pitsiulak’s respect for wildlife in his region seen in his large-scale drawings capturing the images of walrus, whales, bears and seals.
In 2013, the Royal Canadian Mint unveiled Pitsiulak’s design on a 25-cent commemorative circulation coin celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Arctic Expedition and life in the North.
The central design feature of his coin was a pair of Beluga whales and a Bowhead whale, which are common to Arctic waters and vitally important to the Inuit way of life.
“An artist and skilled hunter, he was a leader in his community,” read the post on the Feheley Fine Arts. “He will be greatly missed by all, both friends and admirers of his work. We extend our sympathy to his family.”
