Inuit art: Caribou
Inuit Artist: Peter Aningmiuq
Size: 8" long, 4.5" tall (5" antlers), 2" deep
Community: Kimmirut, NU 20
Stone: Serpentine
id: caps-AL836021997iejy
Carving stone is fraught with difficulty.
At any point during the process, the sculpture could break.
But carving caribous is particularly precarious.
Each carving has four legs which taper at the ankle and end in a hoof!
These spindly legs must carry the weight of the caribou's body.
The legs are at serious risk of snapping as they are carved, sanded and finally delivered to the Coop or customer.
The artist who takes on such a task, has all my respect.
I don't think I've ever seen a caribou sculpture that I didn't admire.
Large, medium or small, I am always in awe that the artist was able to complete such a creature with all its challenges.
Even the antlers are a struggle. They must be meticulously carved and THEN mounted on the piece.
I love Peter's caribou. In Canada we call this animal a caribou but in Scandinavia, this is a reindeer.
Peter has given his sculpture shorter thick legs and a long stocky body. The antlers are substantial but not elaborate. They are the perfect headgear for this caribou.
Finally, I love the upright tail. It provides balance so the head does not appear to be top heavy. But an upright tail means the animal is alarmed or on high alert. Usually the tail is in a floppy position.
With his nose high in the air and his tail upright, I suspect our caribou is sensing impending danger.
This is a sweet sculpture.
Do you have a home for our caribou?
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