Description
This carving of a Seal by Johnny Amittu from Akulivik is a nice example of Johnny’s rugged, yet complex style: a great carving.
As a schoolboy in Puvirnituq, he worked in the print shop during summer holidays, starting as a stone polisher, then printer and finally cutting a few blocks himself. He started carving sculptures regularly after the closing of the print shop in 1990.
He was influenced by his father and brother’s raw styles. Both would fit in as many elements they considered essential to a legend in their sculpture. Johnny will carve out his subjects just to highlight their beauty.
Some surfaces are left rugged, whereas others are given a lot of attention. His carvings seem to be sculpted of clay. The complexity of his compositions is getting more ambitious. Mythology, northern animals, hunting and domestic scenes are his favorite themes.
