Lot 113B
PAULOOSIE KARPIK (1911-1988)
Additional Images
Provenance:
Lippel Gallery, Montreal, QC, 1970’s,
Private collection, Toronto, ON
Note:
This remarkable piece of whalebone could be regarded as a piece of art in and of itself. Although it was the source of many useful items in prehistoric and historic times, whalebone was not initially used in contemporary Inuit art. It was a lack of available stone in some communities that really stimulated the use of whalebone in carving in the late 1960’s and ‘70’s. The response from the public was positive and through the masterful use by certain artists, it became a very popular and sought after material. Like the work shown here, whalebone offers natural textures and shapes that an artist can incorporate in their creation. It has its own set of challenges too, of course. Most of the whalebone works we see on the market today are from Arctic Bay, Igloolik, Clyde River, Spence Bay, Gjoa Haven and Pangnirtung where most of the bone was flown in from Thule sites.