John Kavik and John Tiktak, the two most celebrated Rankin Inlet artists, knew each other well and frequently carved together early in their careers. No doubt they influenced each other, especially in the early 1960s when each of them was still developing his personal style. There is a good chance that Kavik saw, for instance, Tiktak’s 1963 Mother and Child, a lovely, relatively small sculpture once owned by Robert Williamson and illustrated in both of George Swinton’s books on Inuit sculpture (1965: p. 118; 1972/92: fig. 661), and similar early works by that artist. Kavik may have been influenced by Tiktak in the carving of this gem, but certainly by 1965 the two artists’ styles had noticeably diverged.

The fact remains that Kavik’s Pregnant Mother and Child is a masterpiece of his early mature period. In its relatively high degree of realism and finish it resembles other important works carved by him in the very same year, such as Somersaulting Man and Man Carrying Caribou (see illustrations in both of George Swinton’s books, in Sculpture/Inuit, and in Pure Vision). While the sculpture possesses the primal power that Kavik’s art is known for, it has none of the rawness we generally associate with his style. In fact, this work is especially notable for its undeniable beauty and charm. We know the story behind the work; it helps to explain the tenderness that is so clearly evident. Moiya Wright, the co-owner of the Snow Goose in Ottawa, visited her friend Kavik in Rankin Inlet, and the two discussed their families at some length (Wright had five children). Some months later she received a tin of flour from the artist in the mail; puzzled, she dug down only to discover this treasure safely hidden inside. We can share her delight if we turn Pregnant Mother and Child around in our hands. Viewing it from the back it looks as if the child is clinging to its mother but seeing it from the side we realize that the child is “floating.” Impossible and adorable!