Emerging from a vast expanse of lithographed black, the avian form in Pudlo’s Bird of Winter Darkness

seems to take shape mid-flight. Pootoogook Qiatsuk’s mastery of lithography brings an unexpected luminosity to the grayscale work, turning negative space, tone, and texture into light itself. The untouched white of the belly of the bird glows against the surrounding darkness, while layers of grey-black give the feathers a palpable softness. The wings of the bird stretch beyond the frame, compressing the bird so that we sense that it is in the foreground, which heightens the sense of immediacy, as though the bird has just swept into view. Its presence feels close and momentary, suspended between motion and stillness.