Saimaiyu Akesuk
The contemporary graphics created by Inuit artist Saimaiyu Akesuk (Canadian, Inuit, b. 1988) stand out for their boldness of color and line, as well as the seeming simplicity of their composition. Her entrance into the Cape Dorset art scene was marked by reluctance and nervousness, though, and it was only with the encouragement of fellow Inuit artist Ningiukulu Teevee that she embarked on a career in art. “I literally sat there in front of my paper for a couple of hours,” said Akesuk. “And then, my late grandfather’s carvings came into my mind.” Since then, her work often references her grandfather Latchaulassie Akesuk’s abstract carvings. Saimaiyu’s energetic drawings express a deep appreciation for the spirit of the Far North, in fresh interpretations of its birds and animals. Sometimes tender, often whimsical, works from her hand are finding their way to the forefront of contemporary Inuit art.