Manasie Akpaliapik was born in Ikpiarjuk (Arctic Bay), NU and learned to carve from his grandparents and great-aunt who were established carvers. Akpaliapik trained at Red River College in Winnipeg, MB before apprenticing in Montreal, QC.

He is renowned for his large and intricate whalebone sculptures as well as his ability to mix traditional and contemporary elements of Inuit culture within his pieces. Akpaliapik’s work has been published numerous times in the Inuit Art Quarterly and his ‘Untitled’ sculpture appeared on the cover of the Winter 1993 issue.

Akpaliapik has been the focus of solo exhibits in Canada and abroad with his work held in numerous collections of major institutions including the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto, ON, the Art Gallery of Nova Scoita in Halifax, NS and the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, ON, among many others.