The Canada Auction

June 0409, 2022
Auction begins to close at 8:00 pm ET

Online Auction
LOT 84

Lot 84

JESSIE OONARK ᔪᓯ ᐃᓇ, O.C., R.C.A. (1906-1985)

JESSIE OONARK ᔪᓯ ᐃᓇ, O.C., R.C.A.  (1906-1985)
Lot 84 Details
JESSIE OONARK ᔪᓯ ᐃᓇ, O.C., R.C.A. (1906-1985), Qamani’tuaq (Baker Lake)

UNTITLED (COMPOSITION WITH DANCING FIGURES)

stroud, thread, embroidery floss
signed in syllabics, ca. 1971
17.5 x 16.75 in — 44.5 x 42.5 cm

Estimate $10,000-$15,000

Realised: $9,600
Price Includes Buyer's Premium ?

Lot Report

Additional Images
JESSIE OONARK ᔪᓯ ᐃᓇ, O.C., R.C.A.  (1906-1985)
  • JESSIE OONARK ᔪᓯ ᐃᓇ, O.C., R.C.A.  (1906-1985)
Provenance:

Private collection, Yukon

Note:

Rich in detail, and vibrant in colour, the present work is an outstanding example of nivingajuliat (wall hanging) likely dating to the artist’s early 1970s period. A master of symmetry and compositional balance, Oonark loses little if any of the power of her larger works in this intimate and striking textile.

An artist whose imagery often reflected events and objects from her childhood, she sometimes cited memory as inspiration for her work, evident here in the inclusion of facial tattoos of a type already old-fashioned at the time of Oonark’s youth, and which the artist herself refused to receive.[1, 2]

(1) Jean Blodgett and Marie Bouchard. Jessie Oonark: A Retrospective. (Winnipeg: Winnipeg Art Gallery, 1986), 9.
(2) Lars Krutak, Tattoo Traditions of Native North America: Ancient and Contemporary Expressions of Identity, (Volendam: LM Publishers, 2014), 19.

CONDITION DETAILS

Superficial wrinkling from storage, minute blemishes on verso. Possible slight fading, overall very good condition.

Please contact the specialist for further condition information.

LOT 84
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About Condition Ratings

  • 5 Stars: Excellent - No discernable damage, flaws or imperfections
  • 4 Stars: Very Good - Minor flaws or imperfections visible only under close inspection using specialised instruments or black light
  • 3 Stars: Good - Minor flaws visible upon inspection under standard lighting
  • 2 Stars: Fair - Exhibits flaws or damage that may draw the eye under standard lighting
  • 1 Star: Poor - Flaws or damage immediately apparent under standard lighting (examples: missing components, rips, broken glass, damaged surfaces, etc.)

Note: Condition ratings and condition details are the subjective opinions of our specialists and should be used as a guide only. Waddington’s uses due care when preparing condition details, however, our staff are not professional restorers or conservators. Condition details and reports are not warranties and each lot is sold “as is” in accordance with the buyer’s terms and conditions of sale. In all cases the prospective purchaser is responsible for inspecting the property themselves prior to placing a bid.