The story, the inner life, and the inspiration behind an artist and their work is never simple nor linear. Our most revered artists are made of a complex mosaic of memories, shattered and reassembled into tangible creations of their greatest experiences. Artists carry with them the unique gift of sharing the most vulnerable and hidden depths of the human experience—one such artist was Floyd Kuptana.

In May of 2021, Kuptana, an Indigenous artist, died in Toronto. His life was spent riding the waves of success and despair. Despite a strong personality, and intense magnetism, he often projected the feeling that he was undeserving of his mountain of artistic achievements, and had a roaming sense of belonging. Kuptana’s social worker remembers, “He was never given an opportunity to be loved or show affection to himself.” In a tribute to the artist, friend and colleague Richard D. Mohr remarks, “Kuptana would often go begging outside five-star hotels in Toronto, even when he didn’t need the money. Eron Boyd, Gallery Arcturus’ manager, says that Kuptana called it ‘urban hunting.”

Floyd Kuptana was born in Cape Parry, Northwest Territories in 1964. Moving to Toronto in the 90s, his Inuit carvings and inspired paintings have been received at local, national, and international galleries. A permanent collection of his works is displayed at Gallery Arcturus in downtown Toronto. Mohr remarks, “Though many people were repulsed by him and his work, others loved him, but he found that difficult to register.”