Like many of Tim Pitsiulak’s most celebrated masterpieces, Ivory Polar Bear commands attention with its large scale and extraordinary precision, where photographic realism merges with the impossible to create a vision both fantastical and awe-inspiring. Here, the bear's robust and powerful form dominates the composition, set against the stark black of the sheet. Rendered in a naturalistic palette of earthy browns, greys, and beiges, with subtle highlights of pure white, the magnificent creature takes on the look of aged ivory. This connection to antiquity is no coincidence, as the art and objects produced by the Dorset and especially the Thule people deeply inspired Tim Pitsiulak, with their artistic traditions and techniques providing the foundation for much of the imagery in his works during a particularly intriguing period in his career.

Trained as a jeweler, Tim Pitsiulak brings an extraordinary level of detail to this large-scale work, inviting us to savour each intricate element as we explore the bear's form. The animal’s body is adorned with large and smaller whale shapes, honouring the Thule people's mastery of whaling. Fish and fish scale patterns, walruses, and even sharks are nods to Thule (and subsequent Inuit) reliance on various marine resources. The depiction of a man hunting caribou by kayak, as well as a flock of geese, round out the animal elements. Finally, design patterns along the spine and head echo the intricate carvings on Thule tools, weapons, and art objects. Astonishing.

References: In conversation with Patricia Feheley, the artist shared, “I was fascinated by the work of Thule culture. They didn’t have power tools,” as cited in Koomuatuk Curley et al, Tunirrusiangit: Kenojuak Ashevak and Tim Pitsiulak, (Toronto: Art Gallery of Ontario / Fredericton: Goose Lane Editions, 2018), p. 102. For other works that incorporate ancient imagery, see Migrating Walrus, 2012, and How They Caught Big Game, 2016, op. cit. p. 103 & 104. See also the prints Kiinappak (Mask), 2011 #33,  Bowhead Whale, 2013. The artist spoke specifically about whaling and the Thule people in undated interview for Tale of a Town, “The Thule People and The Bowhead Whale”, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXqikcyJDcY&t, accessed 31 Aug 2024.