Description:

Kenojuak Ashevak ᑭᓄᐊᔪᐊ ᐊᓯᕙ, CC, RCA (1927-2013), Kinngait (Cape Dorset)

UNTITLED (OWL), 2010

coloured pencil and graphite drawing, signed in syllabics; dated; embossed with the West Baffin Eskimo Cooperative chop; inscribed verso: "DR110424 / CD040-3072-abd-2010-03/11 - 65 x 50 CM / 18026 / June 18/10"

Estimate: $4,000—5,000

    Provenance:
  • Inuit Gallery of Vancouver, Vancouver, BC
    Private Collection, Ontario
  • Dimensions:
  • sheet 25.5 x 19.75 in — 64.8 x 50.2 cm
  • Artist Name:
  • Kenojuak Ashevak ᑭᓄᐊᔪᐊ ᐊᓯᕙ, CC, RCA (1927-2013)
  • Medium:
  • coloured pencil and graphite drawing
  • Notes:
  • Owls never ceased to interest Kenojuak, from her earliest creations to those made at the end of her life. She used them as a subject for over 100 different prints as well as her original drawings, as on offer here. In return, they would define many of the pinnacles of her celebrated career, including her Enchanted Owl, which smashed market records for the artist’s work at auction when sold at Waddington’s in 2018 for $216,000.

    Beginning in the early 1960s, Kenojuak introduced foliage and flowers to enhance her avian images and their often fantastically-hued plumage. In this drawing, Kenojuak’s owl is naturalistically coloured in brown, grey and yellow, while the buds which flank it burst forth into bright purple and red.

    Notably, Kenojuak used coloured pencil instead of felt-tip marker in Untitled (Owl) which allowed her to create smooth panes of colour, echoing the pleasing flatness of many of her printed editions. Regarding her choice of colours, in 1980, Kenojuak told Jean Blodgett: “The colours are part of an informal system that I have. I select two colours that will go side by side, lining them up, saying that these two look good together. I use that system for my colouring and don’t change it halfway through the drawing.” (1)

    For the second original drawing by Kenojuak in this auction, please see lot 122, Untitled (Woman Kneeling), 1994/1995.

    (1) Inuit Art Foundation. “30 Ways to Describe an Owl.” Inuit Art Foundation. August 4, 2020. https://www.inuitartfoundation.org/iaq-online/30-ways-to-describe-an-owl-according-to-kenojuak-ashevak
  • Condition:
  • Overall very good condition. Clean and vibrant. Some artist generated smudging. Unframed. Please contact the specialist for further information.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

The Auctioneers will not undertake packing or shipping. The purchaser must designate and arrange for the services of an independent shipper and be responsible for all shipping and insurance expenses. The Auctioneers will, upon request, provide names of professional packers and shippers but will not be held responsible for the service or have any liability for providing this information. Reliable pre-auction estimates of shipping costs of lots offered in this sale may be obtained from:

PICK UP & SHIPPING FROM TORONTO:

When contacting the shippers please have your invoice # and item information ready.

PakShip
Attn: Taurus Chan
Tel: 905.470.6874
416.293.8225
Fax: 905.470.6875
[email protected]
www.pakship.ca

Safer Shipping
Attn: Perry Hehn
Tel: 416.299.3367
Fax: 416.299.9750
[email protected]
www.safershipping.ca

PICK UP & SHIPPING FROM VANCOUVER:

Please note that lots in our Waddington's West auctions are located in Vancouver, B.C. When contacting the shippers please have your invoice # and item information ready.

The UPS Store 424
Tel: 604-559-5446
[email protected]

PakMail
Tel: 604-472-6245
[email protected]
www.pakmailcanada.com

CITES WARNING:
Restrictions exist regarding the import and export of species protected under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species). This includes but is not limited to items made of or containing bone (whalebone etc.), ivory, tortoise shell, seal skin, rhinoceros horn and any other animal part and is strictly controlled or forbidden by most countries. Please review your country's laws before bidding on pieces made of or containing these restricted items. It is the sole responsibility of the buyer to inquire about and obtain the proper permits for artwork purchased that may contain restricted materials, if such permit can be obtained. Please contact the department for further assistance. For more information please visit www.cites.org

May 29, 2024 7:00 PM EDT
Toronto, ON, CA

Waddington's

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of up to 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
CA$0 CA$249 CA$10
CA$250 CA$499 CA$25
CA$500 CA$999 CA$50
CA$1,000 CA$1,999 CA$100
CA$2,000 CA$4,999 CA$250
CA$5,000 CA$9,999 CA$500
CA$10,000 CA$19,999 CA$1,000
CA$20,000 CA$49,999 CA$2,000
CA$50,000 CA$99,999 CA$5,000
CA$100,000 CA$299,999 CA$10,000
CA$300,000 CA$999,999 CA$25,000
CA$1,000,000 CA$1,999,999 CA$50,000
CA$2,000,000 CA$2,999,999 CA$100,000
CA$3,000,000 CA$4,999,999 CA$200,000
CA$5,000,000 + CA$300,000