PROVENANCE
A Prominent Private Collection

LITERATURE
Odette Leroux, et al., editors, Inuit Women Artists: Voices from Cape Dorset, Douglas & McIntyre/Canadian Museum of Civilization, 1994, page 158-159
Carol Finley, Art of the Far North: Inuit Sculpture, Drawing, and Printmaking, 1998, page 22-23, figure 3
Ingo Hessel, Arctic Spirit: Inuit Art from the Albrecht Collection at the Heard Museum, 2006, catalogue 190
Susan Gustavison and Darlene Coward Wight, Pitaloosie Saila: A Personal Journey, Winnipeg Art Gallery, 2017, catalogue 21

"Woman and Snow Bird" by the renowned Inuit artist Pitaloosie Saila is a standout piece in the Cape Dorset Print collections, where her work has been featured since 1968. Developed at the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative, Saila’s mastery is evident in this famous print. Her meticulous linear style and vibrant colours create depth and movement, bringing the image to life.

The woman in the print is rendered with delicate lines and two colours, embodying the dual roles of women as caretakers and providers. With her traditional clothing and serene expression, she exudes a sense of wisdom. Women are a recurring theme across Inuit art, symbolizing continuity and tradition.

Cradled in the woman’s arm is a snowbird, adding a layer of spirituality to the print. Birds in Inuit culture are often seen as symbols of transition and the cyclical nature of life. The snowbird alongside the woman reflects a harmonious relationship between humans and nature.

Saila describes her design: “I designed it like a shadow, like one part of the face being in the dark, as if it wasn’t brightly lit in the home in those days”.

Printmaker: Lukta Qiatsuq (1928-2004)

All prices are in Canadian Dollars

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