Karoo Ashevak / Mungnelli
Inuit, Spence Bay/Taloyoak, (1940-1974), a carved whalebone sculpture depicting a flying figure, a second face verso, signed in syllabics.
height 13 3/8in, width 12 3/8in, depth 5 3/4in
Footnotes:
Provenance
Property from the Estate of Vivienne Felbermann Ivry, Palm Beach, Florida

See von Finckenstein, Maria, ed., Celebrating Inuit Art 1948-1970, 1999, pp. 184-187, 'Whalebone is the material most associated with sculpture from Taloyoak (Talurjuaq). To encourage carving production, the federal government in 1965 decided to fly in by charter a shipment of whalebone from Somerset Island, where great quantities had been left by the prehistoric Thule Eskimos and subsequent European whalers. Ashevak was the first to exploit the inherent expressive possibilities of this unusual carving material... By 1971 (he) had fully developed his own style of whimsical, often grotesque, spirit and shamanic figures made of assembled pieces of whalebone. The distorted faces are reminiscent of Tupilak figures from Greenland and Alaskan masks.' Tragically in 1974, at the age of 34, Karoo Ashevak died with his family in a house fire.
This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: Y
Y Prospective buyers should pay special attention to the 'Notice Regarding Regulated Species Materials and CITES Permits' published in the printed catalog. This information is also available by contacting the salesroom.

Good condition overall with some scatered inherent cracks/fissures to bone (apparently present at time of carving) (one crack running from the flying figure's face to the back face/slightly into the mouth may be a later crack/an extension of an earlier crack).

Raised on a 2 1/2in black plexi base.