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Artworks
PAPIARA TUKIKI (1942-2023) KINNGAIT (CAPE DORSET)
Necklace with Three Birds, c. 1975the necklace: stone, sterling silver, and cord, total length: 16.5 in (41.9 cm) / pendants: stone, and sterling silver, dimensions variable, largest 2.75 x 1.5 x 0.5 in (7 x 3.8 x 1.3 cm)
unsigned;
with a stamped sterling silver owl bearing the West Baffin Eskimo Cooperative Ltd. logo.
10$ 2,000.00Further images
In the winter of 1976, Inuit artists were invited to participate in a competition sponsored by the Canadian Crafts Council, focused on jewellery made from natural materials. The premise of...In the winter of 1976, Inuit artists were invited to participate in a competition sponsored by the Canadian Crafts Council, focused on jewellery made from natural materials. The premise of the competition was refreshingly straightforward, as one of the jurors explained: “People everywhere like to adorn themselves with beautiful things. It’s a natural thing to do and helps people to feel important! It feels good to wear jewellery that is beautiful and well made” [1].
Nearly 100 works were submitted, with the award-winning pieces entering the collection of the then Department of Indian and Northern Affairs in Ottawa and becoming part of the exhibition titled ᐱᐅᓴᐅᑎᑦ (Things That Make Us Beautiful / Nos parures). Among these works was a piece by Papiara Tukiki, illustrated as no. 11 in the octavo-folded catalogue, which featured the same owl motif now central to the present necklace.
This present work expands upon that motif, showcasing three owls carved from a light green stone that contains yellow highlights, each set into sterling silver. These owls hang from a sleek, geometric bale—a design choice that feels strikingly modern. The chain is adorned with meticulously crafted stone “beads,” alternating between light and dark tones, their uniform size and polished finish creating a glistening effect. Thin metal discs punctuate between the beads, adding rhythm and sophistication to the composition.
Though Papiara Tukiki is celebrated primarily as a graphic artist, this necklace reveals her remarkable versatility and skill as both a metalsmith and a carver. The way in which the owls, the bale, and the beads are integrated speaks to her visionary approach and her innate sense of composition.
1. Department of Indian and Northern Affairs in Ottawa, ᐱᐅᓴᐅᑎᑦ (Things That Make Us Beautiful / Nos parures), (Ottawa: Department of Indian and Northern Affairs in Ottawa, nd [c. 1976]), unpaginated.Provenance
Galerie Elca London, Knowlton, QC.