KUUJJUARAAPIK 1973 BELUGA & AVATAQ STENCIL PRINT

ORIGINAL COLOUR STENCIL PRINT ON WOVE PAPER, POSSIBLY BY HENRY NAPARTUK (INUIT / CANADIAN, 1932�1985), DATED 1973 AND INSCRIBED IN INUKTITUT SYLLABICS LOWER MARGIN, BEARING THE GREAT WHALE RIVER YELLOW WHALE WORKSHOP STAMP LOWER RIGHT 17.75 X 22 IN AT SIGHT 26 X 29.25 IN FRAMED PRODUCED DURING THE FORMATIVE 1973 PRINTMAKING WORKSHOPS AT KUUJJUARAAPIK (GREAT WHALE RIVER / POSTE-DE-LA-BALEINE) ON HUDSON BAY, THIS GRAPHIC WORK VIVIDLY ILLUSTRATES TRADITIONAL MARINE HUNTING TECHNOLOGY. THE COMPOSITION PAIRS A SOFT-TONED SUBMERGED BELUGA WITH AN ACCURATELY RENDERED AVATAQ (AIR-FILLED SEALSKIN HARPOON FLOAT), ESSENTIAL FOR PREVENTING LARGE SEA MAMMALS FROM SINKING IN DEEP GLACIAL WATERS. BEARING THE DISTINCTIVE COMMUNITY YELLOW WHALE STAMP, THIS SCARCE HUDSON BAY PRINT EXEMPLIFIES THE ECONOMY OF LINE AND ATMOSPHERIC STENCIL WASHES CHARACTERISTIC OF EARLY NUNAVIK PRINT RELEASES.