JESSIE OONARK, O.C., R.C.A (1906-1985) QAMANI'TUAQ (BAKER LAKE)

This celebrated print captures a pivotal episode from the Qiviuq legend, closely following Jessie Oonark’s original drawing from the early 1970s (offered in First Arts, 10 June 2024, Lot 20). What makes the work remarkable is not only its fidelity to the story, but the way it expands and folds space and time within a single frame. The narrative begins with Qiviuq observing a pool of birds, a moment of stillness and watchfulness. It then shifts abruptly to the interior of a bear’s den, where Qiviuq lunges toward the animal. The bear is rendered from above, heightening its presence and the sense of looming danger. The story then moves forward to a rushing stream, bulging and rising at Qiviuq’s command, before returning once again to the calm of the birds.

The sky refuses to mark a single hour. A glowing sun, a crescent moon, and scattered stars appear together, intertwining day and night. The backdrop of orange and pink washes the entire print in a dreamlike glow, suggesting that this is not just a record of events but a memory made visual. Oonark creates a narrative that is layered rather than linear, where the boundaries between time, space, and meaning begin to dissolve.