Jessie Oonark Oc, Rca , ᔪᓯ ᐃᓇ
FIGURE IN STRIPED CLOTHING
JESSIE OONARK, O.C., R.C.A. (1906-1985), ᔪᓯ ᐃᓇ, BAKER LAKE / QAMANI’TUAQ
FIGURE IN STRIPED CLOTHING
stonecut and stencil, 1971, 21/48
24 x 19 in — 61 x 48.3 cm
Provenance:
Private Collection, Atlanta, GA
Note:
Oonark takes the rich pattern work on the traditional amaut and stylizes it even further, rendering it as one would a modernist composition. For an image that tends nearly towards abstraction, Oonark incorporates several grounding details, including the traditional face tattoo of an Inuit woman. A prime example of the artist’s ability to translate common objects into symbols, the woman’s crescent-shaped ulu knife is used as a motif on both sides of the subject’s face. Oonark’s signature use of symmetry is displayed here, and a clear link to the artist’s famous “Big Woman” print can be seen.
Similar prints are held in the permanent collections of the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Montreal, the National Gallery in Ottawa, and the Winnipeg Art Gallery.
Estimate: $2,000—4,000
FIGURE IN STRIPED CLOTHING
stonecut and stencil, 1971, 21/48
24 x 19 in — 61 x 48.3 cm
Provenance:
Private Collection, Atlanta, GA
Note:
Oonark takes the rich pattern work on the traditional amaut and stylizes it even further, rendering it as one would a modernist composition. For an image that tends nearly towards abstraction, Oonark incorporates several grounding details, including the traditional face tattoo of an Inuit woman. A prime example of the artist’s ability to translate common objects into symbols, the woman’s crescent-shaped ulu knife is used as a motif on both sides of the subject’s face. Oonark’s signature use of symmetry is displayed here, and a clear link to the artist’s famous “Big Woman” print can be seen.
Similar prints are held in the permanent collections of the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Montreal, the National Gallery in Ottawa, and the Winnipeg Art Gallery.
Estimate: $2,000—4,000
Auction Results
| Auction Date | Auction House | Lot # | Low Est | High Est | Sold Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-05-13 | Waddington's | 102 | 2,000 | 4,000 | 20,400.00 |
| 2013-11-18 | Waddington's | 192 | 2,500 | 3,500 | 4,800.00 |
| 2013-05-06 | Waddington's | 130 | 2,500 | 3,500 | 3,360.00 |
| 2011-05-02 | Waddington's | 246 | 2,000 | 3,000 | 3,120.00 |
