In his 1994 article in the Inuit Art Quarterly, Peter Millard succinctly described what makes Oviloo’s art so unique is her decision to depict the female subject not only as it relates to their important role in the community but with a sense of dignity that was individualized and independent.

The inspiration for these works that defied conventions were rooted in an imagery that was often personal and which focused on the artist’s state of mind. In the 2016 exhibition catalogue for Oviloo Tunnillie: A Woman’s Story in Stone, when discussing a sculpture similar to the present Thinking Woman, the artist intimated that the work referred to the cerebral practices of her art making. Oviloo explained, “I have come to a place where I don’t know what to make. It has taken me at least three days, on a few occasions, to figure out what I’m going to make.” Oviloo additionally stated, “It can be very difficult to sculpt the idea that you have in your mind [...] Sometimes thinking about the carving takes longer than the carving itself” (p. 47).

The foregoing explanation certainly may apply to the our Thinking Woman but the artist’s intention is not known. Our contemplative figure may be ruminating on a simple decision, like what to purchase from the co-op. We may be encountering her at a moment of self reflection. While the interpretation of Thinking Woman remains enigmatic, this exemplary instance of Oviloo’s work is as distinct as it is mysterious. The figure’s elegantly carved form shows a commanding understanding of gestures. The woman’s shoulders shrug slightly forward while her chin rests in her hand, a traditional posture of introspection or contemplation. The serpentine line of her floor length dress suggests that the figure has shifted her weight on one to one foot, alluding to the total effort of mind and body to resolve the problem at hand. Absorbed in a mood of calm thoughtfulness, Thinking Woman is a provocative yet restrained figure, statuesque yet true-to-life, and, yes, slightly enigmatic.

References: Thinking Woman is referenced in Darlene Coward Wight, Oviloo Tunnillie: Her Life & Work, (Toronto: Art Canada Institute, 2016), p. 72; See Peter Millard’s essay, “Meditations of Womanhood: Oviloo Tunnillie,” Inuit Art Quarterly, Winter 1994, Vol. 9, no. 4, p. 20-5.  For similar works, see, Woman Thinking (fig. 32) and Self-Portrait (fig. 38) in Darlene Wight, Oviloo Tunnillie: A Woman’s Story in Stone, (Winnipeg: Winnipeg Art Gallery, 2016). See also Untitled (Standing Woman with Hands Cupped Over Face, c. 1990s,” illustrated in Gerald McMaster ed., Inuit Modern: The Samuel and Esther Sarick Collection, (Toronto: Art Gallery of Ontario, 2010), p. 208.