Kenojuak Ashevak was not merely an artist, she was a trailblazer.
Born in a remote camp on Southern Baffin Island, by the time of her death in 2013 she had become a national and international art star, a Companion of the Order of Canada, and the holder of two honorary degrees, as well as the subject of several books and films. Importantly, she was among the first generation of Inuit to pursue drawing in the late 1950s. In the infancy of the art making experiment in Kinngait, when the notion of being an “artist” was essentially an alien concept in the Canadian Arctic, Kenojuak defined the role with her indefatigable dedication and unprecedented success.
Kenojuak’s first drawings were filled with strong graphic images of her personal Arctic world. The strongly formed silhouettes and intertwined bird forms of her drawings were revolutionary for her time—something that today is difficult to comprehend as these same forms have since become emblems of Canadian art. Composition (Two Owls with Bird), Rabbit Eating Seaweed, and Dogs See the Spirits embody the ethereal, dream-like flowing forms of Kenojuak’s early style. She acknowledged the influence of shadow images created by elders using their hands in front of the light of the qulliq in the creation of her imaginative creatures.
Lot 31
KENOJUAK ASHEVAK, C.C., R.C.A. (1927-2013), KINNGAIT (CAPE DORSET)
Composition (Two Owls, with Birds), 1962
ESTIMATE: $8,000 — $12,000
Lot 87
KENOJUAK ASHEVAK, C.C., R.C.A. (1927-2013), KINNGAIT (CAPE DORSET)
Rabbit Eating Seaweed, 1958 (1959 #8)
ESTIMATE: $40,000 — $60,000
Lot 122
KENOJUAK ASHEVAK, C.C., R.C.A. (1927-2013), KINNGAIT (CAPE DORSET)
Dogs See the Spirits, 1960 #19
ESTIMATE: $18,000 — $28,000
Conversely, the magnificent The Enchanted Owl, resplendent in red, is far from ethereal. This image presents a proud owl surrounded by stylized feathers in an explosion of colour and form, firmly centred by the strong form of the owl. This icon of Canadian art has become embedded in our national heritage. It has made its appearance in stamps, books, and films. Only twenty-five were editioned in red, and these are particularly rare and coveted.
Lot 11
KENOJUAK ASHEVAK, C.C., R.C.A. (1927-2013), KINNGAIT (CAPE DORSET)
The Enchanted Owl, 1960 #24
ESTIMATE: $150,000 — $250,000
The first Cape Dorset print collection from 1959 was rendered by the master printers in the Kinngait studio, and was followed by annual releases, all of which featured works by Kenojuak. The late 1980s brought a rise in popularity of original drawings, created by the artists as finished works in themselves and freed from the constraints of printmaking. Kenojuak’s Pyramid of Owls, from the early 2000s, is a superb example of her new bold style of drawing. The owls provide a strong central element to the composition, enlivened by their eyes which invite the viewer into their world. The softer riot of coloured foliage captures the artist’s love of colour and form.
Lot 54
KENOJUAK ASHEVAK, C.C., R.C.A. (1927-2013), KINNGAIT (CAPE DORSET)
Pyramid of Owls, c. 2003-04
ESTIMATE: $8,000 — $12,000
Alongside her celebrated two-dimensional artworks, Kenojuak's prowess as a stone carver, as evidenced in lots 8 and 30, cemented her legendary status.
“Sculpture is so much easier than drawing, when you look at the stone and consider it, you can find what is there and then reveal it, while in drawing you have a blank paper and have to think up the image.” – Kenojuak Ashevak [1]
She began making carvings in the late 1950s, and over the next three decades developed a unique style of carving: self-contained, form-focused compositions. Man with Qulliq and Seal from 1964 is typical of the smaller, ‘handheld’ works of the earlier years. An improbable scene, it is both enigmatic and serene. Double-Owl Figure is from later in the decade. Here, the scale of the work has greatly increased, yet there still is a serene aspect to the sculpture. It is a celebration of Ashevak’s beloved owls, which she has captured back-to-back in an unusual composition. This is a masterful sculpture, both monumental and quietly thoughtful.
Lot 8
KENOJUAK ASHEVAK, C.C., R.C.A. (1927-2013), KINNGAIT (CAPE DORSET)
Man with Qulliq, and Seal, 1964
ESTIMATE: $6000 — $9,000
Lot 122
KENOJUAK ASHEVAK, C.C., R.C.A. (1927-2013), KINNGAIT (CAPE DORSET)
Double-Owl Figure, late 1960s
ESTIMATE: $25,000 — $35,000
Beyond her achievements and talent, Kenojuak Ashevak's unparalleled warmth endeared her to countless individuals. Among her most passionate admirers are John and Joyce Price, who over the years became not only collectors but also close friends. In a heartfelt reflection after Kenojuak's passing in 2013, John reminisced about the profound and very personal impact she had on their lives:
Today, the Prices' esteemed Inuit Art collection stands as a testament to their deep admiration for Kenojuak, housing the world's largest private assortment of her works. We at First Arts are honoured to showcase five of these magnificent works, Lots 8, 11, 30, 31, and 54, as well as two other highly important works from private collections in Canada, Lots 87 and 122 from other private collections, in our upcoming Fall 2024 live auction. Notably, Lot 87, Rabbit Eating Seaweed, was owned by Maryon Pearson and her husband Lester B. Pearson, Canada’s 14th Prime Minister.
These works, varying in date, scale, and medium, collectively capture the immense and versatile talent of Kenojuak Ashevak, a luminary in the art world whose spirit continues to inspire.
1. From the artist in conversation with Pat Feheley while showing an unfinished sculpture and her carving tools, 1996. Also referenced in Jean Blodgett, Kenojuak, (Toronto: Firefly, 1985).