Jessie Oonark
(1906–)
(–1985)
Jessie Oonark
1906–1985
Jessie Oonark, ᔨᐊᓯ ᐅᓈᖅ, (1906–1985) also known as Una after her paternal grandfather, was an Inuit artist who created prints, drawings, and wall hangings. She was born in in the Tariunnuaq (Chantrey Inlet) area near Back River in Nunavut on the traditional lands of the Utkuhiksalingmiut. For the first fifty years of her life, she lived a traditional semi-nomadic lifestyle before moving to Qamani'tuaq (Baker Lake) in 1958. There, she began drawing and experimenting with other mediums, including printmaking and textiles, becoming a pivotal figure in the development of the arts in Qamani’tuaq. In recognition of her accomplishments as an artist, Jesse was elected as a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 1975 and was inducted as an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1984.
Growing up, Jessie was completely embedded in Utkuhiksalingmiut culture. She learned traditional survival skills, such as preparing caribou and seal skins which she sewed into traditional clothing, as well as the oral histories and stories told by her elders. She married a hunter named Qabluunaq and together they had 13 children. In the early 1950s, the fox fur trade began to decline and the caribou shifted their migration patterns. This resulted in a period of extreme hardship, starvation, and disease in the Back River community, and Jessie’s husband, along with four of her children, passed away. Jessie and her remaining children were airlifted to Qamani'tuaq (Baker Lake) in 1958.
In 1959, biologist Andrew Macpherson gave Jessie some paper and coloured pencils and encouraged her to draw. Her talent was quickly recognized by art advisors in the area and she was provided with materials, a small salary, and studio space to work. Her early drawings were sent to Kinngait (Cape Dorset) where they were published in the Cape Dorset Annual Print Collection in 1960 and 1961, a significant accomplishment considering that she was one of the only artists ever included who did not reside in Kinngait. She was also a significant player in the development of the print program in Qamani'tuaq, with more than 100 of her drawings translated into prints for the Annual Baker Lake Print Collections between 1970 and 1985. Eight of her children became artists, including Janet Kigusiuq, Victoria Mamnguqsualuk, Nancy Pukirngrnak, Peggy Qablunaaq Attiiauq, Mary Yuusipik Singaqti, Josiah Nuilaalik, Miriam Marealik Qiyuk, and William Noah.
Jessie’s drawings, prints, and wall hangings were informed by Utkuhiksalingmiut oral history and legends and her sense of design, developed over a lifetime spent creating traditional garments. Her work often focused on Inuit women to convey their strength and power as they participated in traditional domestic activities and featured recurring themes such as the ulu, traditional caribou skin clothing, the kamik, and the amauti.
Her work has been included in countless exhibitions, including Jessie Onnark: A Retrospective which traveled to galleries across the United States and Canada. Her work can be found in many permanent collections, including at the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, the Museum of Anthropology, Vancouver, and the Musée des beaux-arts de Montreal, among many others.