Few Inuit graphic artists demonstrated a mastery of minimalism quite like Martha Ittuluka'naaq, another of the first generation of Qamani'tuaq artists. Her radical economy of line developed into a kind of visual shorthand, distilling her subjects into their essential forms. While some of her drawings include colour and minor details, many—particularly the eight prints produced from her works—are strikingly sparse. This simplicity can be partly attributed to her innovative use of cardboard stencils. Ittuluka'naaq would cut figures from cardboard, then retrace these shapes onto paper, often repeating them with subtle variations.

It is likely that this same method shaped the drawing behind the present work. The gaps left in the caribou’s (or possibly muskox’s) legs, where the outlines remain deliberately unfinished, create the impression of tiny hooves—both minimal and precise. Similarly, the drummer figure, perhaps a shaman, is rendered with just enough detail to suggest two arms and two legs, a drum, and a beater.

This image’s brilliance lies in its breathtaking simplicity. It evokes a sense of magic and wonder, its abstraction recalling the timeless, primal quality of prehistoric cave paintings. With only a few deft strokes, Ittuluka'naaq draws us into a world that is at once deeply familiar and entirely transcendent.