His life
Open the LARGE image in a new Tab -> "Mouse Over; Right Click; Open in New Tab"
About Floyd Kuptana
Others about his sculptures:
In a tribute to the artist, friend and colleague Richard D. Mohr remarks, ... His sculptures were, as Mohr describes, “an unsettling mix of whimsy and horror”.
"His work engaged with Inuit spirituality by juxtaposing humour with frightening imagery to share narratives of haunting spirits and bumbling figures"
(Richard D. Mohr, “Floyd Kuptana: Untitled,” Inuit Art Quarterly 30, no. 4 (Winter 2017: 17)"Floyd's cousin is the famous sculptor David Ruben Piqtoukun whose influence on Floyd's work is obvious. ... Floyd draws his inspiration from inuit mythology.
He incorporates "shamanism" into much of his work." (Simon Griffiths , AboriginArt)"Floyd Kuptana's sculptures of soapstone and other stone often feature shapes of both animal and human. Frequent imagery of transformation may be considered grotesque and include works of Sedna the Inuit goddess of the sea and marine animals. His work relates both to the Inuit religion and his own experiences. (Wikipedia)
Toronto's "Bay of Spirits" text with quotes of Robyn Grant-Moran:
“... basing his imagery on traditional Inuit beliefs and lore, with common themes of transformation and struggle. Quite simply, he made beautiful monsters, though his work was anything but simple.”
A Chronology / Biography / essay(s)
(in preparation)
"Floyd Kuptana Show-'n'-Tell" by Richard D. Mohr [Use expand arrow to see more]
Talk by Richard D. Mohr about Floyd Kuptana. A five minute show-’n’-tell plus in-memorium for Floyd presented to the Inuit Art Society as a Zoom (June 13th 2021), two weeks after Floyd died. (May 27th 2021)
Floyd Kuptana: Canada's outsider. [Use expand arrow to see more]
(In The Outsider, Fall 2018, by Richard D. Mohr) Tip: Open a LARGER image in a new Tab -> "Mouse Over; Right Click; Open in New Tab"
Art & Reconciliation: Bay of Spirits Gallery [Use expand arrow to see more]
(In "Grace & Co, Homes and Lifestylle, fall 2021, by Mike Spry)
"Inuit Artists on their Changing Relationship with the Land and Sea", [Use expand arrow to see more]
2019 Post on blog Artists and climate change
April 29, 2019 Inuit Artists on their Changing Relationship with the Land and Sea by Susan Hoffman Fishman
"... In Sedna Lamenting the Loss of Sea Ice by artist Floyd Kuptana, the Sedna figure has become a boat rescuing those affected by rising seas. With her propeller located in the bow of the boat, her normally beautiful hair reduced to a few strands and her arms rowing backwards, she is the expression of a “world in trouble."
Floyd Kuptana, Sedna Lamenting the Loss of Sea Ice, 2007. Brazilian serpentine, antler, wood horse hair and metal, 55 x 89 x 44 cm.
“Good Friday with Floyd Kuptana” by Richard Mohr (on April, 10th 2020, Good Friday)
“Floyd Kuptana - Urban Hunter ; celebrating the life of an Indigenous Artist"
by Madeleine Kane (In: smART Magazine 6.7 (July 2021))
Links
More details on the artist are found here:
https://www.inuitartfoundation.org/profiles/artist/Floyd-Kuptana
https://kolajmagazine.com/content/content/articles/sinister-portent/
https://torontoobserver.ca/2022/12/08/work-of-master-sculptor-showcased-a-year-after-his-death/
https://www.smartbylighthouse.com/visual-arts/floyd-kuptana-urban-hunter (Wayback Machine recovery)
Wellington Gallery https://www.wellingtongallery.com/original-art/floyd-kuptana/
https://inuit.net/artists/b-inuitarteskimoart-Kuptana_Floyd.html
"Artist of the moment………Floyd Kuptana (blog post 17.2.2016 )
https://galaxyofart.wordpress.com/2016/02/17/artist-of-the-moment-floyd-kuptana/"It's showtime" https://fb.watch/lCyFSEV9-S/
Pinterest Daniellovesart: https://pin.it/2lsZyYT
Facebook page: For Floyd Kuptana
One of the most talented and famous INUIT artists / sculptors in Canada -- Floyd Kuptana / blog Daniel loves art
Wayback machine: https://web.archive.org/web/20141102040643/http://ccca.concordia.ca/artists/work_detail.html?languagePref=en&link_id=6089&artist=Floyd+Kuptana
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/outsider-art-in-canada-landmark-new-book#/
https://www.inuitartfoundation.org/iaq-online/inuit-art-is-a-marker-of-cultural-resilience
INUIT ART QUARTERLY coverage & Ads
Inuit Art Quartely Online
The 10 Bear Boogie, Feb 26, 2021 showing the Ballroom Dancer (2005) Steatite and marble 9.5 × 6 × 2 in
Floyd Kuptana Ballroom Dancer (2005) Steatite and marble 9.5 × 6 × 2 in
COURTESY SPIRIT WRESTLER GALLERY
Inuit Art Quartely Online
7 Bone-Rattling Works of Skeleton Art, Oct 29, 2021
Floyd Kuptana Untitled (2012) Collage
COURTESY THE ARTIST
In this skull-buster of a collage, Floyd Kuptana cuts and pastes flesh and bone onto a painted canvas, arranging the parts to create an unearthly beast of many limbs, complete with blood-red nails and hollow eyes. Kuptana has used his signature energetic style to create another world of humour and horror for us to get lost in.
Spring 2008, 23-1
Frontpage IAQ Spring 2008 23-1
Floyd Kuptana Ballroom Dancer (2005) Steatite and marble 9.5 × 6 × 2 in
COURTESY SPIRIT WRESTLER GALLERY
Volume 23.1 Spring 2008
p. 18
(Feature article p.18-24)
Volume 23.1 Spring 2008
p.19
(Feature article p.18-24)
Volume 23.1 Spring 2008
p.20
(Feature article p.18-24)
Volume 23.1 Spring 2008
p-21
(Feature article p.18-24)
Volume 23.1 Spring 2008
p.22
(Feature article p.18-24)
Volume 23.1 Spring 2008
p.23
(Feature article p.18-24)
Volume 23.1 Spring 2008
p.24
(Feature article p.18-24)
IAQ 17.1 Spring 2002
Inuit Art Quarterly 23.4, p 33 - 36
playlist Videos
Playlist "Floyd Kuptana" Youtube : Click the "hamburger"-menu to see the listed items
The service was held 30 June 2021.Floyd was a renowned Toronto artist from the far north who left us much too soon from this life.