Among the extraordinary powers attributed to Inuit shamans, few were as astonishing as the ability to fly. A shaman might rise into the air in human form, acquire wings, or transform entirely into a bird. Luke Iksiktaaryuk gives sculptural form to this possibility in this figure poised for flight, its human arms transformed into great outstretched wings and turned dramatically downward, though as though testing the air beneath them before taking flight.

Around the figure's waist hangs a substantial belt of talismans, an important detail in the artist's otherwise spare conception. Inuit shamans sometimes wore special belts and headbands during ceremonial occasions. From these belts might hang an extraordinary assortment of objects: bones, teeth, scraps of skin or clothing, and small carved amulets, each possessing its own particular spiritual significance. In Iksiktaaryuk's sculpture, the belt encircles the body beneath the sweeping wings, its small suspended form of leather contrasting with the antler form.

Here, Iksiktaaryuk's shaman is seized at the very threshold of transformation, his human form giving way to that of a bird. There is a tremendous sense of anticipation in this suspended instant, when antler itself seems capable of flight.

FA