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Artworks
DAVID RUBEN PIQTOUKUN (1950-) PAULATUK / ONTARIO
Monumental Head Emerging from Stone, 1997stone and muskox horn, 25 x 9 x 9.25 in (63.5 x 22.9 x 23.5 cm)
signed and dated, "DAVID RUBEN PIQTOUKUN / 1997.LOT 53
ESTIMATE: $4,000 — $6,000
PRICE REALIZED: $8,540.00Further images
This striking sculpture beautifully showcases David Ruben Piqtoukun’s compositional flair and meticulous attention to detail. The strongly attenuated neck, crowned with a contemplative head, acts as a bridge between the...This striking sculpture beautifully showcases David Ruben Piqtoukun’s compositional flair and meticulous attention to detail. The strongly attenuated neck, crowned with a contemplative head, acts as a bridge between the terrestrial and the ethereal, possibly manifesting the shaman's transformative journey. Measuring just over two feet in height, its verticality creates a powerful feeling of transcendence, suggesting shamanic ascension and connection with ‘higher’ realms. The head gazes skyward, while its open mouth—perhaps in mid-chant—evokes the breath that animates the shaman's words and prayers. With its precise lines and smooth, polished finish set against the rich colours of the stone, this work underscores the harmonious blend of raw materiality and refined artistry.
References: For studies of the artist’s work see Darlene Wight, Out of Tradition: Abraham Anghik / David Ruben Piqtoukun, (Winnipeg Art Gallery, 1989), and Darlene Coward Wight, Between Two Worlds: Sculpture by David Ruben Piqtoukun, (,Winnipeg Art Gallery, 1996).
Provenance
Images Art Gallery, Toronto;
Acquired from the above by the present Private Collection, Toronto.
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