Jessie Oonark

UNTITLED (FIGURE WITH FACES), 1979

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

UNTITLED (FIGURE WITH FACES)

signed in syllabics, ca. 1979
46.5 x 30.5 in — 118.1 x 77.5 cm


June 09, 2022

Estimate $30,000-$40,000

Realised: $85,200

An artist of exceptionally fertile imagination and seemingly boundless creative energy, Jessie Oonark produced a truly remarkable body of drawings, prints and nivingajuliat (wall hangings) over her long career. Creating images sometimes formal in their symmetry but always subjective and impressionistic, Oonark has cited childhood memories as inspiration for her work. [1]

A departure from conventions of square and rectangular presentation, the present remarkable nivingajuliatt is perhaps the most striking example from a period of experimentation which started in the mid-1970s in which Oonark investigated a series of unconventional nivingajuliat profiles, including ulus, human figures, and even objects such as snow beaters. [2]

Acquired directly from the artist during a year-long stay in Qamani’tuaq (Baker Lake) in 1981, the consignor recalls her encounters with Jessie Oonark:

“The men taught me and my then-partner how to hunt caribou which was to be our main food source. But it was the women who embraced me and showed me how to tan the hides and then to sew a parka from a caribou I shot and skinned…it was here in the circle of women that I met Jessie Oonark. The women and children would gather to talk and laugh, drink tea and work together tanning hides and sewing them with sinew. Jessie was one of the elders and respected as such. I still have fond memories of her lovely smile. Jessie did not speak English and my Inuktitut was that of a young child. Through translation of the younger women I heard her stories about living on the land. She told me that she could fly…especially at night.” [3]

In storage since its purchase in 1981, the present work has been preserved in unusually exceptional condition.

For a closely related example exhibited in the 1986 Winnipeg Art Gallery Jessie Oonark Retrospective, please see: Jean Blodgett and Marie Bouchard. Jessie Oonark: A Retrospective. Winnipeg: Winnipeg Art Gallery, 1986. p. 128, pl. 68

(1) Jo Carson, “Toronto Atmosphere Offends The Artist from Baker Lakes”, The Globe and Mail, April, 3, 1971.
(2) Jean Blodgett and Marie Bouchard. Jessie Oonark: A Retrospective. (Winnipeg: Winnipeg Art Gallery, 1986), 65.
(3) Personal correspondence with the consignor, March 6, 2022.


Related Items

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

DREAMS AND MEMORIES

signed in syllabics
47.2 x 53.7 in — 120 x 136.4 cm


December 09, 2021

Estimate $50,000-$70,000

Realised: $103,200

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

UNTITLED (SPIRIT FIGURES)

signed in syllabics, c. 1970
46.25 x 54.5 in — 117.5 x 138.4 cm


May 28, 2019

Estimate $40,000-$60,000

Realised: $102,000

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

UNTITLED

signed in syllabics, c. 1970
47 x 59 in — 119.4 x 149.9 cm


May 29, 2018

Estimate $20,000-$25,000

Realised: $52,800

Inuit, First Nations & Métis Art

Waddington’s is internationally recognized as one of the leading authorities in marketing Inuit Art. No other auction house has been as intrinsically linked to the development of a market for this art form. From our first landmark auction in 1978 of the William Eccles Collection, Waddington’s has offered thousands of works, set record prices, and expanded the market well beyond Canada’s borders. Our legacy of successful Inuit Art auctions, our ability to achieve continually increasing values and our creation of an international market have been key factors in validating Inuit art as a whole and establishing it as an integral part of the Canadian Art scene.

Meet the Specialist

Palmer Jarvis
Palmer Jarvis

Senior Specialist

Inuit, First Nations & Métis Art

[email protected]

416-847-6191

Read Bio

Start Collecting

Everything you need to know to get you started bidding in our auctions at Waddington’s.

Learn More

How to Sell

Find out why selecting Waddington’s is the right choice for consigning your works of art, wine or specialty items.

Learn More

Become a Member

Sign up for your Waddington’s account to start bidding, manage your invoices, and track items you're interested in.

Sign Up