Simon Tookoome
Canadian, 1934–2010
Shaman, 1971
graphite, coloured pencil on paper
75.2 x 57.8 cm
Collection of the Winnipeg Art Gallery; The Swinton Collection
G-76-855
Categories:
Simon Tookoome has lived in Baker Lake since 1968 and is one of the community’s most prolific artists. He made his first drawings in 1971, and powerful imagery has continued to flow from his imagination ever since. His uncle, Oohuluaq, was a shaman with whom he had a close relationship, as described in Tookoome’s book, The Shaman’s Nephew: A Life in the Far North, published in 1999. Many of the artist’s drawings, prints, and sculptures reflect his knowledge of shamanism and of the close relationship between humans and animals. He puts visions from his dreams into his art, and he has observed that “on the land, animals and people are one.”
Gallery Hours
Tuesday through Sunday 11am - 5pm
Friday 11am - 9pm
Closed Mondays
Open on the following holidays:
- Victoria Day
- Canada Day
- August Civic Holiday
- Remembrance Day (open 1-5pm)
- Christmas Eve
- Boxing Day
- New Year's Day
- Louis Riel Day
Closed on the following holidays:
- Easter Monday
- Labour Day
- Thanksgiving
- Christmas Day