This sculpture by Adamie Ashevak is a deeply personal tribute to Kenojuak Ashevak. Hailing from the Price Collection, it is unusual within Adamie’s oeuvre, which is better known for depictions of animals. Here, however, he turns to a subject even more iconic in Inuit art: his mother.

Kenojuak is shown holding a drawing, a direct reference to the artistic practice that brought her international acclaim. By placing a drawing in her hands, Adamie underscores her identity as an artist and the central importance of drawing in her life. The gesture is simple but resonant, turning the sheet she holds into an emblem of creativity, legacy, and the passing down of artistic knowledge across generations.

She is portrayed wearing a skirt and parka, clothing that feels old-fashioned in relation to the date of the sculpture. This choice suggests that the work operates as an act of remembrance. Rather than portraying his mother exactly as she appeared in 2006, Adamie evokes an earlier moment in Inuit life, perhaps recalling her as he knew her in childhood or as she appeared at the beginning of her career.

PF