Malito Akesuk is a talented Inuit artist from Cape Dorset, Nunavut, a community renowned for its rich artistic heritage and exceptional sculptors. While Malito occasionally explores other subjects in his work, he is best known for his distinctive small- and medium-sized walking bear sculptures. His art not only reflects a deep connection with nature but also showcases a profound respect for the cultural traditions of his people.

Living primarily off the land through hunting and fishing, Malito’s close relationship with the Arctic wildlife deeply influences his work. This connection to nature is evident in his sculptures, where keen observation and sensitivity to animal movement blend with a unique stylistic approach. His sculptural style combines naturalism, careful observation, and reduction to stylized forms, sometimes bordering on abstraction, capturing the very essence of the animals he portrays.

Walking bears are at the heart of Malito’s work, and his style is strongly influenced by several renowned sculptors who have made significant contributions to Inuit art. Malito draws particular inspiration from traditional techniques used to depict bears, skillfully balancing realism with stylization to create dynamic and captivating pieces.

A remarkable aspect of Malito’s artistic approach is his commitment to tradition. Proud of his heritage, he upholds ancestral practices by sourcing his own stones from open-pit mines on Baffin Island. This artisanal method demonstrates his deep respect for the environment and the artistic practices passed down through generations. Malito primarily works with marble and serpentine, the latter being a local stone found in Nunavut’s open-pit mines. Serpentine is a hard metamorphic rock with a composition similar to jade, requiring exceptional skill and artistic energy to sculpt with precision and sensitivity.

Through his sculptures, Malito masterfully captures the graceful movement and raw power of bears, infusing each piece with a palpable vitality. Each sculpture is the result of meticulous observation and remarkable technical mastery, paying tribute to the beauty and resilience of Arctic wildlife.

Malito Akesuk’s work is celebrated for its authenticity, finesse, and ability to tell powerful stories through streamlined sculptural forms. Through his art, Malito continues to enrich the Inuit sculpting tradition while asserting his unique style, skillfully blending realistic observation with stylized abstraction.