Oviloo Tunnillie holds a singular place in the history of Inuit sculpture. Her work is instantly recognizable, not because it conforms to expectations but because it almost never does. Across decades, her figures offered a woman’s point of view with unflinching honesty, creating a body of work unlike anything else in the field.

But Oviloo was never bound to a single subject. Among her lesser-known but equally compelling carvings are those that depict games and sports. Some reference southern pastimes, football, skating, and swimming, but here, she turns to Northern play. The figure shown here is a man,preparing for nusuura, a traditional pulling game of strength and will. His posture is thoughtful. The H-shaped aksalak grip is tucked behind his back, as if he is either bracing for the moment or waiting to spring it on a companion. Either way, there is a pause here. A tension that makes room for interiority. Like so many of Oviloo’s carvings, this one is less about the action than the person on the verge of it.

With thanks to John Western and Joemie Tapaungai for their insight and support in cataloguing this work.