This small carving of an arctic hare captures a moment of sudden alertness with remarkable sensitivity. The compact form is defined by smooth, rounded planes that flow into one another, yet the tension in the muscles is palpable, as though the animal might spring away at any second. Its large nose appears lifted, as if scenting an unseen presence, and the wide eye conveys a sharp awareness of some distant sound. There is a tenderness in this depiction, a sense of vulnerability that draws us toward this frightened little fellow.

Although the artist died in 1968, it is worth noting that the artist was celebrated for his animal works. In the Winnipeg Art Gallery's Port Harrison/Inoucdjouac, (1976), included in the catalogue are ten sculptures by Aculiak, nine of which are carvings of animals.