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Artworks
PAULOSIE SIVUAK (1930-1986) PUVIRNITUQ (POVUNGNITUK)
Mother Bird, Feeding her Hungry Nestling, 1958stone, 3 x 5.25 x 2 in (7.6 x 13.3 x 5.1 cm)
unsigned;
with affixed label from La Guilde (The Canadian Handicrafts Guild), in blue ink, "P58 / Paulosie /NHI 7.00”LOT 37
ESTIMATE: $250 — $350Further images
The composition of Mother Bird, Feeding her Hungry Nestling focuses on the tender connection between the pair. Both are set on a single base, their rounded bodies turned inward until...The composition of Mother Bird, Feeding her Hungry Nestling focuses on the tender connection between the pair. Both are set on a single base, their rounded bodies turned inward until their beaks touch in the act of feeding. The arrangement forms a balanced triangular shape, giving the scene both stability and intimacy. Lightly incised feathers decorate the wings, adding texture and variety to the smooth stone. The closeness of the figures highlights the theme of care, with the entire composition anchored in a moment of nourishment.
As noted in Lot 78 Sivuak played a central role in the establishment of the cooperative in Puvirnituq and was appointed its first manager in 1962. Likewise as noted, he is equally recognized for his fluid portrayals of wildlife, particularly owls, which became a defining subject in his work.
One of Puvirnituq’s foremost sculptors, Sivuak carved regularly throughout the late 1940s and early 1950s. In 1955, he left the community for two years of treatment in a southern hospital. Upon his return, he encountered a dramatic shift: local carvers now had access to improved tools and had advanced to carving complete subjects without the need for pegs and separate bases. From this period onward, Sivuak’s work reflects a marked increase in accomplishment, characterized by more complex arrangements of figures and the deliberate use of negative space. The present carving demonstrates these developments with clarity.Provenance
Ex. Coll. Colin John Grasset Molson (C.J.G ), Montreal.
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