Kananginak Pootoogook is well known for his extraordinary contributions to printmaking but his work as a sculptor reveals an equally compelling artistic vision and technical refinement. In this work, of a Windswept, Standing Muskox, the animal is rendered with an emphasis on volume and contour, favouring broad, simplified forms that convey strength and purpose. The body adopts a low-slung silhouette, anchored by four abbreviated legs that ground the work and contribute to its sense of weight and stability. The rounded back rises in a sweeping dome, drawing the eye from the animal’s lowered head to its body in a single, graceful arc.

Kananginak’s immaculate precision, developed through years spent carving stone in the printmaking studios of Cape Dorset, is most evident in the treatment of the coat. Incised lines flow across the surface, suggesting both the density of a winter pelt and the motion of fur ruffled by icy wind. These lines follow no strict pattern, yet their cumulative effect is one of coherence and rhythm. Pale antler inlays form the horns, offering a subtle contrast in texture and tone. Every curve and cut speaks to an intimate understanding of the animal’s power, presence, and place in the Arctic.

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