PROFILES

Normee Ekoomiak:
The Inuit Fabric Artist and his celebrating wall hangings (1948-2009)

By The Ambassadors Research Staff

An image titled Nativity (Detail) from Normee Ekoomiak's book, Arctic Memories. ANDRE FORGET/Sun Media

Normee Ekoomiak was one of Canada's most prolific Inuit artists. In his 61 years of life, he left behind a remarkably large portfolio of works. Born in Quebec, he built an enviable artistic reputation with his colorful wall hangings made from woolen embroidery and felt appliqués. During the 1979s and 80s, Ekoomiak produced thousands of embroidered tapestries, paintings and drawings which he sold extensively in Toronto and Montréal. By the end of his career, he was hired by the Ontario Arts Council to lecture grade school on Inuit life and Art.

As a little boy, it was evident he had an affinity for arts and crafts. He had already started to sew boots and clothes at a very early age. In 1972, Ekoomiak moved to Toronto to attend art school at George Brown College and worked on the Ontario Science Center on the collection. Shortly afterwards, the CBC commissioned him to design the costume for Farley Mowat's play, the Executioner.

By 1986, his fame was anything but domestic, as his reputation crossed the border and he was recognized by the US government which appointed him as the official native American artist for the New York State of Liberty Foundation. He also made a special wall hanging for the Museum of the American Indian. Ekoomiak's artistic pieces often described everyday activities, various myths and personal convictions. He was a very religious man and the spirits that make up Inuit culture featured prominently in his work. He mentioned that he knew all the spirits of the land, animals, birds, fish and quall marine animals and knows their names and can communicate with them. In 1988, Ekoomiak published his book, Arctic Memories in English and Inuktitut which describes Arctic life using colorfully-vivid images. Today, his works are on display at exhibits, museums, and other prominent locations worldwide. One of his pieces— a tapestry depicting a family hunting — is on display at the Canadian Museum of Civilization.

Shockingly, despite Ekoomiak success as an artist, he had been homeless for two decades before he died in the hospice wing of the Ottawa Mission shelter, where he'd been living for the past eight years. In a statement released on Tuesday, the Ottawa Mission Shelter said Ekoomiak was the first patient to be admitted to its hospice and at the time, was expected to live less than five weeks. "But his will to live, combined with excellent care, allowed him to recover much of his health and resume his work as an artist in the last few years of his life," the statement said. "Normee was loved and respected by those in the homeless community and all those who were privileged to share his life." Two years before he died, both of his legs and eight fingers had to be amputated because of infection. Hi doctor and friend Dr. Jeff Turnbull said that despite the challenges he faced, Ekoomiak was a pleasure to be around. For years Ekoomiak did not share his skills with people at the shelter until one day he revealed he was a painter and said "We gave him some painting supplies, and he said, 'I'll paint something like I had in the National Gallery!!'"