HEFFEL FINE ART AUCTION HOUSE 8469
HEFFEL FINE ART AUCTION HOUSE 8569 JOE TALIRUNILI1893 ~ 1976Migration Boatgrey soapstone, animal hide and wood sculpture,signed “Joe” and “Ta~li~ru~ni~li” in Inuktitut syllabicson a label, certified by the Government of Canadaon the Canada Eskimo Art card #(31)~1~49058and numbered 31~BIA 0149058 on theCanada Eskimo Art label on the work, circa 196613 1/2 x 9 1/2 x 12 1/2 in, 34.3 x 24.1 x 31.7 cmPROVENANCE:Canada Eskimo Art, 1976Boreal Gallery, MontrealPrivate Collection, QuebecLITERATURE:Marybelle Myers, editor, Joe Talirunili: A Grace Beyond the Reach of Art,1977, pages 4, 6 and 30Strong in will and spirit, Joe Talirunili’s distinctive carvings are a productof his environment and are inspired by the history and legends of the Inuitpeople, as well as his own experiences. Talirunili was born inNeahungnuk camp near the Great Whale River north of Puvirnituq,Nunavik (Arctic Quebec) between 1893 and 1906. Talirunili’s ownrecollection is the 1906 date, however, written records in Ottawa debatethis. Talirunili grew up as part of traditional Inuit culture. The Inuitstudied the land and were shaped by their environment, which sustainedtheir way of life. They adapted symbiotically with their harsh arcticlandscape, becoming migratory by necessity, moving inland during thesummer months and returning to the coast during the winter to hunt seal.Talirunili’s creativity was born from these experiences and expressedthrough his carving and graphic work, which filled the last fifteen years ofhis life.Talirunili’s most significant and important pieces are from his Migrationseries. These dramatic sculptures relate to a personal story of survivalduring a migration back to the mainland from an outer island in HudsonBay. As the family fought to reach land in their overcrowded umiak (a boatthey hastily constructed with whatever wood, sealskin and rope that theyhad available), the ice melted around them. Talirunili notes in his writingthe names of many of his people who were lost at sea during thisexpedition. He was just a small child at the time, and this was a central,life~changing event which he carried with him throughout his life.Carved from stone and accented with wood and hide, works from thisseries evoke a sense of the unique history of the Inuit in their courage tosurvive. One can feel the fear of his people in their struggle back to theshore through the harsh elements and icy, mist~covered water, but alsothe feeling of the miraculous for those who survived. Talirunili writes,“There was a great crash of thunder which frightened all of the children inthe boat and made us cover our ears with our hands, it was so loud. Andwhen the thunder stopped, we could see that a path had been madethrough the ice for us and in this path there was just flat water with nopieces of ice. This path led us to land.”front view 69Talirunili’s work is not typical of Puvirnituq sculpture, which is known forits realistic presentation with smooth surfaces and its fine lines. On thecontrary, his work is harder and more abstract. His carving methods arerough in style, described by Johnny Pov as “carving in a style that can notbe copied.” Marybelle Myers writes, “A lesser artist might be accused ofaudacity but Joe’s dispensation came through membership in that class ofgeniuses who, following their inclination, may choose to imitate or ignorethe ‘rules’ of art.” Talirunili carved with no preliminary sketches orplanning and used what materials were available to him. The resultingwork is bold and original, and among the most important examples ofInuit sculpture in existence today.ESTIMATE: $100,000 ~ 150,000