Yvo Samgushak
Yvo Samgushak is the last of the veteran ceramists who worked with the original government run project, and who is still active in ceramics. Born in the forties, he is the resident elder of the Matchbox Gallery's ceramics program. Yvo along with his brother in law Laurent Aksadjuak, were the first instructors in ceramics when the Matchbox created its ceramics program in the late eighties. Their creative and technical influence last to this day.
Born without speech or hearing, he is recognized for his exceptional land skills. He has over forty years experience working in ceramics. In his most recent work, he has changed his approach from the shamanistic, radiating masks of his first decade of working at the Matchbox to, vessel shapes adorned with figures reflecting Samgushak's memories of the personalities he recalls from the past. Samgushak has become preoccupied, artistically speaking, with using his work to document a time that is fast disappearing. He wants the world to remember the times when Inuit were themselves, and used their ingenuity, strength and courage to shape a course for their survival.
His works are included in the collections of the National Gallery of Canada, the Museum of Inuit Art in Toronto, the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Center, and are treasured by museums and astute collectors for the way they bridge the generations of the Inuit creative experience from past to present.
Video Interview
Yvo Samgushak on October, 2010 at The Matchbox Gallery, Rankin Inlet, Nunavut