Illustrated in Leslie Boyd Ryan important book on Cape Dorset prints [1], this work is also aptly described there by John Westren in his essay Toward the Millennium. Westren comments: “…Amiraijaqtuq/Shedding the Velvet is a thoroughly convincing depiction of a caribou scarping off the winter growth of its antlers. The sweeping red antlers are the center of attention for both the caribou and us, the viewer. This connection draws us into the very presence of the northern wilderness with all its sights, sounds, and smells.” (p. 260)

Once again, Kananginak captivates us not only with his naturalism and sensitivity, but also with his flair and his daring compositional brilliance.

1. Leslie Boyd Ryan, Cape Dorset Prints: A Retrospective, (San Francisco: Pomegranate, 2007), p. 257.