Created around 1963-64, sometime after he had moved to the settlement of Kinngait and begun drawing in late 1961, this work encapsulates Parr’s strong attachment to his memories of a traditional lifestyle, which was almost entirely dependent on one’s ability to negotiate the resources of the land. This charming portrayal of a trio of figures (two men and one woman) subtly demonstrates Parr’s close observation of postures. Although the figures are rather static in their motions, the highly gestural, muscular graphite lines give the work a sense of spontaneity and vigour. Parr’s drawings are like snatches of memory — here, perhaps, to a particular time in Parr’s life when seals were in abundance. Parr is not interested in verisimilitude or style. His work presents subject and narrative to express a visual record that he wishes to share.

References: For examples of contemporaneous drawings by Parr see Ingo Hessel, “The Drawings of Parr: A Closer Look” in IAQ (Fall 1988), 14-20; Marion E. Jackson, Parr: His Drawings, (Halifax: Art Gallery, Mount Saint Vincent University, 1988); and Drew Armour, “Parr: A Unique Canadian Artist” in Canadian Antiques & Art Review, (April 1981), pp. 30-35. For information about the artist, see Terry Ryan, “Parr” in The Beaver, Autumn 1979; this article was subsequently reprinted in Alma Houston, ed. Inuit Art: An Anthology, (Winnipeg: Watson & Dwyer, 1988) pp. 38-41.