Brother of the Kitikmeot carvers Judas Ullulaq (Lot 49) and Nelson Takkiruq (Lot 34), Charlie Ugyuk lived on the land on the Boothia Peninsula and King William Island until his move to Taloyoak in 1970. He had begun carving already in the mid 1960s and is considered to have been an influence on his brothers, Karoo Ashevak, and others. [1] Ugyuk often worked in a highly realistic style - he is admired for his depictions of falcons and polar bears - but is most famous for his sculptures featuring shamanic and demonic subject matter in the latter half of his career, many of which were decidedly grotesque. Much of his imagery illustrated the conflict between Christianity and shamanism, and was no doubt influenced by his personal demons of alcohol and violence.

This remarkable sculpture possesses some of the raw energy of Ugyuk’s demonic works but has none of their grotesque aspects. It is, in fact, a powerful image of female strength and resilience. This Woman Giving Birth is on her own, without a midwife or helpers, and so must cope as best she can. So far so good: the mother has assumed a squatting stance and looks skyward perhaps for added strength and divine encouragement; her infant is alive and wailing, so that is a promising sign.

1. Darlene Coward Wight, Art & Expression of the Netsilik, (Winnipeg Art Gallery, 2000), p. 104.