Few bonds are as enduring or as tender as those between people and their dogs. It is a bond that often transcends language and circumstance, built on trust, routine, and the kind of wordless understanding that forms only over time. This sculpture is Kenojuak Ashevak’s own reflection on that bond. This self-portrait conveys the deep connection between the artist and her husky.

Here, in Self Portrait of the Artist with her Dog, Kenojuak presents us with a rather ordinary moment to consider its depth. Carved from a dense, pale stone, she and her dog pause in a restful moment that feels both natural and deeply personal. The figures are compressed into a rounded composition that suggests interiority. The small pup rests its head on her shoulder and her arms curve around it with practiced familiarity. Their bodies are so entwined they almost read as a single form.

The speckled surface of the stone enhances the texture of the husky’s coat, and while the stone is known to be difficult to carve, Kenojuak may have chosen it intentionally, understanding its weight and character would bring something essential to the subject.

That this sculpture found its way into the collection of her dear friend John is fitting. She referred to him as her “grandson in the south,” a title that speaks to their closeness. To own this work was not only to care for it but to hold a fragment of the artist’s inner life, rendered in stone with affection and grace.

ND