Ruben Komangapik

Ruben Anton Komangapik is an artist originally from Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet), NU, and who now resides in Quebec. In 1995, Komangapik attended the Nunavut Arctic College and completed the jewelry and metalwork program. He is also a member of the Metal Guild of Canada.

Komangapik’s works share his culture with the audience, a culture he inherited from the stories and knowledge he acquired from his family, particularly from his grandfather Joshua Komangapik. His sculpture and video Qilalugaq (Narwhal) showcases his interest in Inuit legends, myths and new technologies. His grandfather also influenced the way Komangapik would integrate and depict the figure of the Shaman in his works.

Komangapik shares his knowledge of materials and techniques with a broader audience through workshops and talks. He has given workshops at the Great Northern Arts Festival on stone carving to encourage children and youth to carve as well. His presence at The Walrus Talks (2015), also provided an insight on the materials he uses, his preferred subject matter and also acted as a platform to spread his own culture and stories. Komangapik was awarded the Artists Choice Awards on four different occasions by the Great Northern Arts Festival. In 2016, Komangapik was commissioned to create a sculptural work with Koomuatuk Curley at York University as part of the Mobilizing Inuit Cultural Heritage Project.