John Kaunak’s style is somewhat removed from the more typical “Repulse Bay Folk Art” flavour that George Swinton describes in his essay of that name in the 1978 WAG catalogue on the art from that community. Kaunak has always strived for a high degree of realism, in detail and especially in pose, preferring to carve not ivory miniatures but mid-sized works in stone, and has been highly influential. He is considered by many, including most of his artist peers, to be the preeminent carver in his community. Kaunak has specialized in hunting scenes and depictions of bears and other wildlife; images showing hunters chasing prey or fighting with animals are fairly common in his work. In Hunter Chasing a Goose the figures are almost the same size; we wonder whether the hunter is a boy, perhaps the young Kaunak himself. Molting geese are unable to fly, so we wish the young man luck in running down his prey.

Literature: For works by the artist see Jean Blodgett, Repulse Bay (Winnipeg Art Gallery, 1978), cats. 50-59; George Swinton, Sculpture of the Inuit (Toronto: M&S, 1972/92), figs. 90, 718; Darlene Coward Wight, The Jerry Twomey Collection (WAG, 2003), pp. 106-107; Lorraine Brandson, Carved from the Land: The Eskimo Museum Collection (Churchill: Diocese of Churchill Hudson Bay, 1994), p. 93; Toronto-Dominion Bank, The Eskimo Art Collection of the Toronto-Dominion Bank (Toronto: 1967), cats. 9-10.