Born in Paulatuk in the far western Canadian Arctic, Abraham Anghik Ruben chose to live and work on Saltspring Island in British Columbia; his brother, David Ruben Piqtoukun, lives in Ontario. Anghik is a celebrated contemporary Inuvialuit sculptor with numerous solo exhibitions, including one at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. He has developed a unique style blending Inuit/Inuvialuit, Northwest Coast, and even Viking traditions.

To the peoples of the Bering Sea region - home of many of Anghik’s ancestors - the raven is seen as a god in creation myths. The raven is believed to have created man as well as all manner of animals and birds. This compelling work, sculpted from Anghik’s favoured Brazilian soapstone, which is characterized by warm tones, depicts two ravens in intimate conversation, their forms arching towards each other to create a heart-like shape. Beneath them lies a slumbering human – an elderly man or woman, judging by their wrinkled face – sheltered by the enfolding wings of the ravens and finding protection within their sanctuary. The sculpture's smooth contours and gentle curves underscore a profound serenity and unity in Anghik's vision. Gorgeous.

References: For studies of this important artist’s work see Darlene Wight, Out of Tradition: Abraham Anghik / David Ruben Piqtoukun, (Winnipeg Art Gallery, 1989); Darlene Coward Wight, Abraham Anghik Ruben, (Winnipeg Art Gallery, 2001); and Rocco Pannese and Cosimo Stifani, Abraham Anghik Ruben, (Vaughan, ON: Kipling Gallery, 2016).