Angry Man

Description

‘Angry Man’ by Jutai Toonoo — Cape Dorset Inuit Art from Dorset Fine Arts 2010 original hand drawing collection presented by DaVic Gallery of Native Canadian Arts.

Condition:          No condition to be noted.

Description by Artist:     No description by artist found.

Notes from DaVic Gallery:   Simplicity in colours and in technicality, Angry Man does not fail to convey the mood of this man that Jutai captures in irate state that a title is not required to help the viewer understand.  Would you have even considered this drawing to be categorized as Inuit Art had you not seen in this gallery or presented by Dorset Fine Arts?   Perhaps the need to verify is what brought you to the details page for this drawing.  Jutai Toonoo certainly will challenge your secured sense of what you understood Inuit Art is all about.  Jutai’s drawings cast a spell on us, the magic that attracts us and keeps us staring at his works, is the intensity of life that breathes from all of his works.  The viewer can feel the energy Jutai put into each of his works and now that energy attracts us, calls us to try to understand what he is expressing.  That is the keyword in Jutai’s works, expression.

Such an amazing, intriguing, refreshing surprise to the Inuit Art collector and connoisseurs alike!  Are you scratching your head?  Don’t.  Simply admire this beautiful and amazing composition that truly overflows with life energy, despite the topic, and that takes higher value when you know how and why this is such a rare piece based on the cultural background of the author.  How can you not just bathe in such moment expressed with such energy Jutai pours into each and every piece he created?

I find Jutai’s drawings to be an expression of his experiences during a certain day or moment where he may capture from a falling nail, a faucet, dirty laundry, or an angry man.  Just like a child telling sharing with his friends that made an impression on him during the day.  Who cannot remember those intimidating moments as a child when faced with an angry man for kicking a ball into his yard or braking a window of his house or for being too noisy while playing in the street?  If you think hard, some memory will pop I am certain….

What does Jutai think or worry about when he draws?  Is he concerned about techniques or practicing his skills to be better and produce a better and better piece?  I think he is really drawing what comes from his interior, his experiences, giving breath and life to what he shares with us, just as when a friend shares a story with us so descriptive and with so much emotion that we can picture the story in our minds like watching a movie.   Flared nostrils, narrow focused eyes

The face overall has the typical grotesque features and as we zoom closer and closer to the man’s eyes we can perceive the tension and the impression the man left on young Jutai.  If this is a story Jutai shares with us from his childhood, this is perhaps an attempt to face and overcome this long lasting ghostly like memory, just like jumping off a plane with parachute to overcome fear of heights … “face your fears” they say …

When I was a kid, not so long ago, I was riding my bike with my friend Pepe, yes, Pepe or Jose if you prefer but we all called him Pepe, and he suggests to me to steal tire valve caps off a car parked next to his house.  Apparently the owner worked for a car agency so the accessories were quiet irresistible … so the arrangement is he keeps watch while I remove the tiny valve caps.  At my second cap, I see him jump on his bike yelling something that today I still can’t remember and takes off.  I keep working on the second cap when I see a pair of shoes in front of me and as I look up is face a very angry neighbor staring at me, just like in the cartoons.  I nearly froze and just wanted to cry.  He didn’t say a word and kept giving this deep stern state right into my eyes that I felt those eyes burning a whole right through my eyes into my gut.  There were no words exchanged and the next thing I remember I was fleeing on my bicycle.  He knew my mom, but I think he never told on me… maybe he had a similar story himself.  Similarly, maybe this angry man might have a similar story and just forgot, for now.

The first time I saw this drawing, this story came right back into my mind, almost as looking a picture of that moment, and I could only smirk now.

Does this bring memories to you?