All Dressed Up: Sculptures by Eva Talooki from the Collection of John & Joyce Price

IN ASSOCIATION WITH GALERIE ELCA LONDON

on view by appointment only 

My late parents began to sell art in the very early 1960s. As with many art galleries, ours had humble beginnings in the basement of my childhood home. My early childhood was spent surrounded by works of art which would come and go. The constant arrival of new works of art was exciting but I must admit that there were a few times when my younger self was greatly saddened when a favourite piece found a new home. As I grew older, however, I came to realize that seeing favourite artworks leave the gallery allowed us to replenish and refresh our inventory.

In a career now spanning over five decades, I have helped place thousands of artworks into new hands, something which gives me great satisfaction. I often joke about how I deal in “new and used” works of art. Often, as collectors age and downsize, I have been called in to help find new homes for treasured possessions. As a result, there are some artworks that I have handled several times over several decades. Such is the case with numerous works in this wonderful assemblage of small sculptures by the late Eva Talooki Aliktiluk (1927-1995) from Arviat, Nunavut.

Coloured glass beads were popular trade goods in the Canadian Arctic throughout the 18th, 19th,  and 20th centuries. There are numerous spectacular historical examples of beaded amautiit produced in the Kivalliq (Keewatin) Region. In more modern times, this tradition has continued in Arviat and some neighbouring communities. These garments are adorned with panels and fringes made up of thousands of beads (see the magnificent beaded caribou skin amautiq in the First Arts December 4, 2023 sale, Lot 20). It is interesting to contrast these dazzlingly ornate garments with the usually austere sculptures produced from local stones.

Eva Talooki’s aunt, Susan Ootnooyuk (1918-1977), is thought to have been the original Arviat artist to adorn her carvings with beads in the late 1960s. Ootnooyuk carved only a handful of works, but her original design idea influenced several Arviat artists including Mary Miki (1920-1993), Annie Okalik (1927-?), and Alice Akammak (b. 1940) to literally “dress up” their works with beadwork clothing. The tradition continues today with works by younger generation artists such as Mary Tutsweetok (b. 1972). However, the best of the bunch, beyond question, was the remarkable Eva Talooki, whose beaded sculptures run the gamut from austere to flamboyant and have taken the artform to a whole new level. 

Some of Talooki’s works - typically single figures or mothers with children - are minimally carved and sparsely decorated with but a few strands of transparent beads, while others are more unusual compositions and/or are given a more ornate, and even opulent, treatment. What these figures all have in common is their ability to delight the viewer. They are treasures to hold and to behold. My First Arts partner, Ingo Hessel, had the pleasure of meeting Talooki in Arviat in the late 1980s and, when hearing that she had trouble locating suitable beads, replenished her supply by mail and on subsequent visits. 

To paraphrase a popular beer advertisement: those that like them like them a lot. It should come as no surprise, then, to learn that there are several collectors who have a special fondness for Talooki’s sculptures and have acquired them eagerly, and often in great numbers.

Such was the case with the late Mark and Esperanza Schwartz of Montreal. The Schwartzes were prominent art collectors with very eclectic tastes. Their collection featured contemporary art from Europe as well as North and Central America, all displayed alongside striking sculptures from Africa and the Americas. (First Arts was fortunate to showcase a variety of artworks from the Schwartz collection in our July 2020 auction.) From their first exposure to the works of Eva Talooki, the Schwartzes were besotted. They purchased many dozens of Talooki’s sculptures and beaded dolls, many of which were featured in a solo exhibition at Esperanza’s short-lived art gallery in Montreal.

After Talooki’s passing in 1994, her works became scarce, disappearing from the co-op shelves. However, as requests for her work increased, I knew exactly where to find a literal treasure trove. Ultimately, much of the Schwartzes’ magnificent collection of Eva Talooki sculptures was acquired by John and Joyce Price, marking its transition from one esteemed collection to another. This online exhibition not only highlights the rich variety of Talooki’s work, but also serves as an excellent opportunity for these pieces to find their way into the hands of a new generation of art lovers; to continue their journeys into yet more “esteemed collections.”

Mark London