Spirit with Animals Item Number: Na1500 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Three black figures on white ground. Animal figure with bared teeth at lower left, with horizontal human figure with pointed cap with pom pom stretching a hand to touch animal. At right large bird-like figure with animal head faces animal. Bottom line reads, "20/50 1963 Spirit with animals Ananginak." Stamped with name of artist and printmaker in Inuit syllabics in monogram form. Canadian Eskimo Arts Council stamp of approval embossed in lower right.
History Of Use
The Inuit prints consist of stencils, stonecut engravings and lithographs from the communities of Cape Dorset, Baker Lake, Povunenituk, Holman Island, Pangnirtung and Clyde River. The first Cape Dorset prints were in 1959, Povunenituk in 1962, Holman in 1965, Baker Lake in 1970, Pangnirtung in 1973 and Clyde River in 1981. Since the late 1940's Indian and Northern Affairs have supported the development of art from the Canadian Arctic in co-operation with the Canadian Eskimo Arts Council. Catalogues have been published since 1959 and most of the prints are documented in their year of production. A print shop was set up by James Houston in Cape Dorset in 1958. Stonecutters Igola, Eegvudluk, Luktlak and Kanangenak began training for printmaking. James Houston decided that the co-operative would work well in the Inuit community. Specialists would prepare and cut the stone block, another artist would do the drawing and someone else would do the printing. The symbol used by the Cape Dorset group was a stylized igloo. The Cape Dorset Co-operative produces an annual catalogue illustrating and documenting prints produced within that year.
Narrative
Balshine family collection.
Item History
- Made by Anirnik Oshuitoq (Maker) in Cape Dorset, Nunavut, Canada and Kinngait, Nunavut, Canada during 1963
- Owned by Lorne Balshine before January 25, 1988
- Received from Lorne Balshine (Seller), Finning Ltd. (Funding source) and University Purchase (Funding source) on January 25, 1988
What
Who
- Culture
- Inuit
- Creator
- Anirnik Oshuitoq (Maker)
- Previous Owner
- Lorne Balshine
- Received from
- Lorne Balshine (Seller), Finning Ltd. (Funding source) and University Purchase (Funding source)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Cape Dorset, Nunavut, Canada and Kinngait, Nunavut, Canada
When
- Creation Date
- during 1963
- Ownership Date
- before January 25, 1988
- Acquisition Date
- on January 25, 1988
Other
- Item Classes
- works on paper
- Condition
- good
- Accession Number
- 1263/0322