Kingwatsiak Jaw Explained

Kingwatsiak (King) Jaw (1962–2012)^[1] was an Inuk sculptor from Kinngait.^[2]

Early life

He was born on March 20, 1962, in Keatuk, Nunavut. His parents, Melia Jaw (1934–2006) and Joe Jaw were also carvers,^[3] as were his brothers (Mathew Saviadjuk, Pootoogook Jaw, and Salomonie Jaw).^[4] King began carving as a child, but did not do so professionally until his early thirties.

Career

In his early thirties, when King began carving, he was also working as a carpenter and an industrial mechanic at the Nanasivik Mine.

Many of his sculptures depict the bears,^{[5] [6] [7]} as well as the sea goddess Sedna.^{[8] [9] [10]}

Jaw's work is held in several museums, including the Penn Museum, the University of Michigan Museum of Art, and the Museum Collections at the University of Delaware.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Rebeccah Swerdlow Highlight Essay Indigenous Art and Arctic Ecology. 2021-01-26. en-US.
2. Web site: Foundation. Inuit Art. Kingwatsiak Jaw Inuit Art Foundation Artist Database. 2021-01-26. Inuit Art Foundation. en.
3. Web site: Melia Jaw. 2021-01-26. DaVic Gallery of Native Canadian Arts. en-US.
4. Web site: Pootoogook Jaw. 2021-01-26. DORSET FINE ARTS. en-US.
5. Web site: Ecology Indigenous Art and Arctic Ecology. 2021-01-26. en-US.
6. Web site: KATILVIK - Artwork BEAR/SEDNA by Kingwatsiak Jaw. 2021-01-26. www.katilvik.com.
7. Web site: KATILVIK - Artwork WINGED BEAR by Kingwatsiak Jaw. 2021-01-26. www.katilvik.com.
8. Web site: KATILVIK - Artwork SWIMMING SEDNA by Kingwatsiak Jaw. 2021-01-26. www.katilvik.com.
9. Web site: Exchange: Sedna. 2021-01-26. exchange.umma.umich.edu.
10. Web site: Carving - 2012-25-59 Collections - Penn Museum. 2021-01-26. www.penn.museum.