Judas Ullulaq

Judas Ullulaq was born in the area of Thom Bay, northeast of Taloyoak. He lived at outpost camps with his family until the late 1960s, when he settled in Taloyoak so his children could attend school. At the outset Ullulaq carved ivory miniatures, but his sculptures have increased dramatically in size over the years. He sculpts primarily in stone, using mixed-media accents such as ivory, antler, bone, sinew, and musk-ox horn. Distorted, wide-eyed, open-mouthed faces, and exaggerated gestures and body movements give his work a strong expressive and emotional presence.

Ullulaq's style and subject matter are greatly influenced by the work of his nephew, Karoo Ashevak; his focus is on spirits and the supernatural, themes for which the Kitikmeot region has come to be recognized.