PITALOOSIE SAILA, R.C.A. (1942-2021) KINNGAIT (CAPE DORSET)
The Shaman's Dogs, 1985 #25
Printmaker: PEE MIKKIGA (1940-1996) KINNGAIT (CAPE DORSET)
stonecut and stencil, 25 x 28 in (63.5 x 71.1 cm)
22/50

Provenance
Private Collection, Australia.

Throughout her long and celebrated career, Pitaloosie’s portrayal of women across a spectrum of personal strength and cultural significance has potently underlined the vital place of women in families and communities. The artist frequently portrayed women in positions of strength and spiritual significance (see Shaman’s Dance, 1970 #17 and Eskimo Leader, 1972 #11). She also more subtly asserted the profoundly important role of women in her works that illustrated mothers and children (see Arctic Madonna, 1980 #32 and Woman Proudly Sewing, 1988 #33 as two sundry examples).

In the present print, The Shaman's Dogs, the shaman figure is discernibly a woman, indicated by the traditional facial tattoos, the distinctive female kamiks adorning her feet, and the cut of her parka. Her portrayal as a shaman places this female figure in the explicit category of works where women's power is front and centre – unmistakably strong and commanding.

The scene draws further strength from its composition. Part of the shaman’s garb is a vibrant stencilled blue that provides a soft textural contrast to the dogs, whose fur is meticulously defined by Pee Mikkigak’s precise carving. These carefully etched lines in the stone block not only convincingly depict the fur but are also employed to impart texture to the shaman’s own coat and hair. This continuity of method unifies the composition, guiding the viewer’s eye to dance across the print, from the shaman to her canine companions.