Lot 130
Possibly: ISA OOMAYOUALOOK (1915-1976)
Lot 130 Details
Possibly: ISA OOMAYOUALOOK (1915-1976), Inukjuak (Port Harrison)
MAN INFLATING AN AVATAQ (SEALSKIN FLOAT)
stone
unsigned, circa 1960
7.1 x 5.1 x 10.6 in — 18 x 13 x 27 cm
Estimate $1,000-$1,500
Realised: $750
Price Includes Buyer's Premium
Important:
This lot is located in . Local pick up by special arrangement; shipment from only.
Additional Images
Provenance:
Private Collection, British Columbia
Note:
Isa Oomayoualook was a prolific Inukjuak sculptor in the early 1950s. While best known for producing quirky Inuit “totem” poles, his later work often took inspiration from hunters. Although unsigned, Man Inflating an Avataq bears an unmistakable similarity to several seated figures known to be by or attributed to this artist. A lively work, it is beautifully wrought from dark green stone found in what is referred to as the “Nuvvuagittuq Greenstone Belt.” The artist’s care and attention to detail are apparent both in the treatment of the sculpture’s surface, as well as in the overall character of the carving, in which the hem of the hunter’s parka continues uninterrupted on the underside of the figure.
References:
Wight, D.C. Early Masters: Inuit Sculpture 1949-1955. Winnipeg: Winnipeg Art Gallery, 2006. p. 213, pl. 637.