Like Joe and the horned figure (see lot 48), swimming caribou were a subject that fascinated Jacob Irkok, and he returned to them again and again over the course of his career. In this example, the caribou’s body has a subtle bend, a gentle bow that makes him feel buoyant rather than fixed, as if he is caught mid-glide.

You can almost sense the imagined waterline: a smooth, sliding surface that skims along his sides as he paddles forward. And at the very back, Jacob gives us a perfect, playful cue, his small tail lifting cleanly above that imagined line, poking up into open air, perched proudly past the “surface” as if it has just broken through. It’s a tiny, telling touch, and it’s downright delightful. This fellow seems to be smiling as he swims along, a hint of cheer in the curve of his mouth, giving the whole work an easy, amused momentum.