Mathew Nuqingaq
Iqaluit, Nunavut
Beyond being a silversmith, Mathew Nuqingaq is also a metal artist, sculptor, drum dancer, photographer and an educator. Nuqingaq knew from a young age that he was an artist, but embarked on his current path over 20 years ago.
“I finally decided to follow my passion, and I am extremely happy that I did,” he says. “Now my personal and professional lives are welded together. And I would not have it any other way.”
For Nuqingaq, jewelry is more than adornment; it can be points of connections across culture, a touchpoint for intercultural connections. “Like as with our ancestors being nomadic, they could only take what they could carry. And now stories could be worn and shared anywhere in the world. And a stranger would become so curious and ask about the meaning of the piece, and conversations begin and are shared.”
The ability to “say so much with very little” drives Nuqingaq’s pursuit of a simplicity and minimalism that does not compromise on communicating complex and rich thoughts and ideas. “Simple is beautiful, yet simple can be difficult.”
As an artist and an educator, Nuqingaq seeks to empower those who would choose a similar path: “Build your ideas and keep them. And grow. There are so many directions that will keep you busy for the rest of your life. Never plateau. And it takes time, so no rush necessary. Push your ideas and grow them, for future generations.”
Mathew Nuqingaq
ig: @mathewnuqingaq
This article was published in the Spring/Summer 2020 issue of Studio Magazine.
