David Ruben Piqtoukun

Biography

Born in Paulatuk, in the Northwest Territories in 1950, to a family within a small nomadic group. Hunting and fishing along the Arctic coastline while living a nomadic and semi-primitive existence have installed within me a deep and asting love for the raw and rugged beauty of land and nature, which is often reflected in his work.

His brother Abraham Anghik Ruben introduced him to stone carving in 1972. Since then he has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions internationally. His work is included in private, corporate and public collections: National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa; Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto; Museum of Anthropology, BC; Canada House, UK; Canadian Embassy, Washington DC; Canadian Museum of Civilization, QC; Musee d’Histoire Naturelle de Lyon, France; Staatliche Museum fur Volkerkunde, Germany; The Greenland Museum, Greenland; and the World Sculpture Park, PR China.

Artist Statement

Since my first exhibition in 1973, my determination to succeed creatively, persisted.  I feel deeply grounded in my Inuit ancestry and its values have made an immense impact on my approach to life and the creation of the art I pursue, which takes on many and varied expressions. As my parents insisted: “Be honest, be careful, be the best you can; never give up at whatever you attempt, but most importantly, call home once in a while David.”  My work continues to call home.