Polar Bear

Qayutinnuaq was born on the land near Gjoa Haven, a tiny hamlet on King William Island in the territory of Nunavut. He was only nine years old when he sold his first carving, and by his early twenties he was receiving recognition from as far away as New York City. Working mainly with soapstone, Paul also uses natural raw materials such as wood, caribou antler and sinew for details such as snow-knives, spears and lures. The skill and resourcefulness that is necessary for survival in Canada’s High Arctic are shown in the painstaking detail of his Inuit hunting and fishing scenes. His admiration for Canadian wildlife is evident in his images of powerful polar bears, graceful birds, playful whales and seals.

A large stylized polar bear is represented in this soapstone sculpture, carved in the traditional method of Inuit custom. The bear’s massive bulk is emphasized by his seated posture, giving the sculpture a strong sense of materiality. The animal is native to the small community of Gjoa Haven on King William Island in the central Arctic where the artist grew up. Based on memory, the artist created the sculpture to document and share a way of life that he saw disappearing. The sculpture is imbued with anthropomorphic emotion, symbolized by the open mouth raised up toward the sky, suggesting the bear is crying out in despair.