Samonie (Sam) Toonoo (1969 – 2017) was a carver from Kinngait (Cape Dorset), NU. Toonoo is known for contrasting light and dark elements within his sculpture to visualize the connections between people and spirits and themes of death, religion, pop culture and technology.
Toonoo began carving in his early twenties, focusing on realistic depictions of Arctic wildlife and traditional Inuit activities. As his artistic practice developed, Toonoo began incorporating more human figures alongside text and abstract elements. Though he stated that he preferred working with bone, his ability to combine materials resulted in dramatic effects. His artistic hallmark is the contrast of figures sculpted from dark, veined serpentinite inset with polished antler carved into angular, deeply contoured faces. He often depicted spirits escaping from and entering the bodies of his figures, visualizing a connection between the physical and the spiritual. Toonoo’s spirits are not ethereal conceptions but physical manifestations that pierce, protrude from and suspend individuals.
Toonoo’s talent is acknowledged within the artistic community. Though initially not widely exhibited, his work continues to gain momentum among Southern audiences. The 2010 exhibition Scream: Ed Pien and Samonie Toonoo, held at the Justina M. Barnicke Gallery in Toronto, was met with critical success. Toonoo has been profiled multiple times by the Inuit Art Quarterly.