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Artworks
QUENTIN OSEUK (1974-2020), SIBERIAN YUPIK
Tufted Puffin, 2000sivory, pigments, and polar bear fur, 4.5 x 2 x 1.5 in (11.4 x 5.1 x 3.8 cm)
signed, "QUENT / OSEUK".Further images
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Much like in coastal communities of the Canadian Arctic, where an abundance of marine life both inspires and sustains artistic traditions, Alaska Native artists have long drawn from their environment...Much like in coastal communities of the Canadian Arctic, where an abundance of marine life both inspires and sustains artistic traditions, Alaska Native artists have long drawn from their environment in both subject matter and material. Among Inupiat and Yupik carvers, small marine ivory works, often depicting animals, hunting scenes, and elements of daily life, have remained a mainstay of artistic production.
This particular artwork depicts a tufted puffin, a seabird native to Alaska’s coastal regions and the broader North Pacific. The artist’s careful attention to form and material is evident in the delicate tufts of polar bear fur extending from the head, an unmistakable identifier of the species. These wispy strands introduce an unexpected softness, creating a sense of movement that contrasts with the solidity of the carved marine ivory. The ivory itself is intricately textured and pigmented to emphasize the puffin’s defining features, particularly its striking beak and bold black-and-white markings, drawing attention to the sculptor’s meticulous rendering of natural form.
Nadine Di Monte
Provenance
Private Collection. -
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