ANDY MIKI (1918-1983) ARVIAT (ESKIMO POINT)

Reclining Animal, early-mid 1970s

stone, 2.25 x 5.5 x 2 in (5.7 x 14 x 5.1 cm)

unsigned.

Provenance

The Snow Goose, Ottawa;

Acquired from the above by a Private Collection, Ottawa.

When there were shortages of good carving stone in Arviat, Miki would prefer hunting for stones on the land, even if they were hard, rather than using imported stone. The marks of rasps and files are much in evidence in this work, indicating that Miki found working the hard material challenging. Reclining Animal is considerably more rugged than Miki's more typically pristine forms but is nonetheless fully three-dimensional. It is another of those fascinating pieces by Miki that look as if they were conceived as tools. The piece is certainly begging to be held and handled; its rawness, and the strange notches, in fact enhances the sculpture's tactile quality.

Reference: For a slightly different take on a reclining animal by the artist, see Gerald McMaster ed., Inuit Modern (Toronto: AGO, 2010), p. 135; see also Marion Scott Gallery, Inspiration (Vancouver: 1996) cat. 29. For stylistically related works see Norman Zepp, Pure Vision (Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery, 1986), cat. 16; also see Walker's Auctions, Nov. 2016, Lot 50 (rough, with notches); May 2017, Lot 255 (overall form).