Because so much of Pitseolak Niviaqsi’s career unfolded in the Kinngait printmaking studios, his sculptures are comparatively rare. When he did turn to stone, however, he could produce works of tremendous finesse and invention.

Caribou and Young is one of them. In its slender legs, lifted bodies and delicate balance, the sculpture recalls the caribou carvings of Osuitok Ipeelee, though Pitseolak brings a character entirely his own. The two animals seem almost to spring toward one another, their bodies bending and meeting in a scene that feels affectionate, playful and slightly theatrical.

The technical control is exceptional. Stone is pared back to narrow legs and finely extended forms, yet the sculpture never feels fragile. Instead, it has a taut, buoyant presence, with smooth surfaces and sweeping contours giving the animals a supple sense of life. Pitseolak combines precision with warmth, turning a familiar Kinngait subject into something spirited, intimate and elegant.

References: For other fine works by the artist, see First Arts, May 2019, Lot 58; First Arts, 5 December 2022, Lot 29; First Arts, 4 December 2023, Lot 70; First Arts, 14 June 2022, Lot 108; Walker’s Auctions, May 2016, Lot 139.