10/16/2026
Coming from Canada's Nunavut territory, the elegant and expressively minimalist Inuit carvings are amongst some of the most unique works in the gallery. Made primarily from soapstone or quartz, but sometimes incorporating other materials such as bone, tooth, ivory, and antler, these carvings are a delightful masterclass in simple but highly effective composition. Full of movement and character, sleek and somewhat minimal, these carvings capture the pure essence of their subjects in the most efficient way possible. "Whale Family," a soapstone and antler sculpture by Isaac Oqutaq, perfectly exemplifies the themes of local flora and fauna, family and community, and daily life and spirituality that the Nunavut carvers capture so well. In "Whale Family," Oqutaq depicts a small pod of beluga whales, floating serenely on the naturally formed wave of an antler ocean. The sculpture embodies ideals of family and nature in its graceful simplicity.
Written by Catherine Leuba, Gallery Assistant.
Image: Isaac Oqutaq | "Whale Family" | Soapstone | 5 x 20 x 12" | IN705
