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Artworks
SHEOUAK PETAULASSIE (1918-1961) KINNGAIT (CAPE DORSET)
Bird in Blue, 1960 #58Printmaker: IYOLA KINGWATSIAK (1933-2000) KINNGAIT (CAPE DORSET)
sealskin stencil, 12.25 x 24 in (31.1 x 61 cm), framed
45/50LOT 67
ESTIMATE: $4,000 — $6,000Bird in Blue captivates with its striking simplicity. Sheouak’s clean, deliberate lines emphasize the bird's form, while Iyola’s choice of an intense, icy blue – using negative space only for...Bird in Blue captivates with its striking simplicity. Sheouak’s clean, deliberate lines emphasize the bird's form, while Iyola’s choice of an intense, icy blue – using negative space only for the body and eyes – locks us in its piercing gaze. The wings, almost symmetrical but deliberately imperfect, unfurl regally across the breadth of the white sheet, while the crown-like plumage at the top of the head exudes an understated majesty, not to mention charm!Having passed away in 1961, only nine of Sheouak’s images were selected for the 1960 and 1961 print collections, making her works a precious find in today's market. Bird in Blue has been offered publicly only twice since its release, once in 1993 and again in November 2021 by First Arts.
References: For several original drawings by Sheouak see Jean Blodgett and Susan Gustavison, Strange Scenes: Early Cape Dorset Drawings, (Kleinburg: McMichael Canadian Art Collection, 1993), pp. 106-111. There is limited information on Sheouak. For a brief overview of the artist, see : Jean Blodgett, Kenojuak, (Toronto: Firefly Books, 1985), p. 43. Also James Houston, Eskimo Prints, (Toronto: Longman, 1971) p. 52-4.
Provenance
Collection of John & Joyce Price, Seattle, WA.
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