Perhaps best known for his masterful graphics depicting Arctic fauna, Kananginak Pootoogook was also an incredible carver. In fact, he made several carvings focusing on this very subject: the majestic windswept muskox. The immaculate precision of Kananginak’s hand (honed after years of carving slate in the stonecutting studios) is elegantly demonstrated here in the coat of the muskox. A variety of beautifully flowing lines suggest not only a thick, voluminous coat of hair, but also a sense of graceful movement caused by a swift breeze on the tundra. Windswept Muskox stands confidently, its head held high and mouth wide open in a powerful roar. Kananginak successfully translates the monumentality and grace of this Arctic animal into exquisite, dynamic sculptural form.

References: For other examples of muskox sculptures by Kananginak see Derek Norton and Nigel Reading, Cape Dorset Sculpture (Vancouver: Douglas and McIntyre, 2005), pp. 10 and 85.