Abraham Anghik Ruben | SHAMAN`S DREAMS

Transcription

A BR A H A M A N G H I K R U B E N
SHAMAN’S DREAMS
ABRAHAM ANGHIK RUBEN
“The imagery that I have created in stone tells of stories and things
that may have happened. Some of the sculptures are
based on actual events, some of the narrative that I have created are
based on my own interpretations and understandings on these two
distinct cultures. My great grandparents’ Shamanic past and
activities have given me an understanding of both
the Inuit and Norse outlook on Shamanism.”
SHAMAN’S DREAMS
SHAMAN’S DREAMS
Curated by Robert Freeman
Essay by Roslyn Tunis
A R T G A L L E R Y O F M I S S I S S AU G A
Abraham Anghik Ruben | SHAMAN’S DREAMS
© 2010
Art Gallery of Mississauga
300 City Centre Drive
Mississauga, Ontario L5B 3C1
www.artgalleryofmississauga.com
Graphic Design: Rob Gray, DesignWorks Studio
Printing:
Laser Reproduction, Toronto
Photography:
Adrianne Cataneo, Daniel Dabrowski,
Silvio Calcagno
Catalogue of an exhibition held at
The Art Gallery of Mississauga
November 4 – December 23, 2010
Curated by Robert Freeman
Essay by Roslyn Tunis
ISBN- 978-1-895436-82-2
Canadian cataloguing in publication:
1. Ruben, Abraham Anghik, 19512. Art, Modern – 21st century – Exhibitions.
3. Artists – Canada.
4. Inuit – Canada – History.
I. Tunis, Roslyn
II. Freeman, Robert, 1950III. The Art Gallery of Mississauga.
IV. Kipling Art Gallery.
V. Title.
COVER :
Memories - An Ancient Past (detail) 2010
FRONTISPIECE :
Memories - An Ancient Past (detail) 2010
Exhibition organized in collaboration with the
Kipling Gallery, Woodbridge.
Funding support from The Canada Council for the Arts,
the Ontario Arts Council, the Ontario Trillium Foundation,
and the City of Mississauga is gratefully acknowledged.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
10
DIRECTOR’S FOREWORD
ROBERT FREEMAN - DIRECTOR
13
THE SCULPTURE OF ABRAHAM ANGHIK RUBEN
Reflections of Transformation in the Culture and Art of the Arctic
R O S LY N T U N I S - I N D E P E N D E N T C U R AT O R
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SELECTED WORKS
75
MEMORIES: AN ANCIENT PAST
83
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
84
BIOGRAPHY
DIRECTOR’S FOREWORD
I
was first introduced to Abraham’s work through a travelling exhibition
circulated by the National Gallery of Canada in 2005, Inuit Sculpture Now.
This show featured contemporary work by Inuit artists. Although still using
largely traditional material, this exhibition focused on new interpretations
of a long standing Inuit tradition of art production. Abraham continues this
contemporary practice in the current exhibition. A tremendously prolific
artist, Shaman’s Dreams represents only a small fraction of his art production.
Focusing on transformation work, Shaman’s Dreams takes us on a
spiritual almost meditative journey through many Inuit legends and myths.
Abraham has a first-hand knowledge of these stories. His great-grandparents
were Shamans and stories of Sedna and animal/human transformation are
an important part of his Inuit heritage.
This exhibition was organized in collaboration with the Kipling Gallery
in Woodbridge and would not have been possible without the valuable
support and input from owners Rocco Pannese and Lou Ruffolo. In consultation with the artist we have selected an exhibition from private and public
collections as well as a number of recently executed works by Abraham
Anghik Ruben.
Animated with an insightful essay by Roslyn Tunis, Shaman’s Dreams
provides a framework for understanding Abraham’s work both in the context
of Inuit culture as well as his personal life experience.
Of very special note is the focal work in the exhibition exhibited for
the very first time in Shaman’s Dreams. The large whalebone and soapstone
work, Memories: An Ancient Past, is truly a masterpiece. It expertly encompasses several stories of Inuit folklore, intertwining images carved directly
into the large skull of a bowhead whale, with additional forms made from
Brazilian soapstone to complete the stories and add another dimension to
this monumental work.
We are pleased and proud to present this show to the Mississauga
public. I extend my great appreciation to the AGM staff for their collective
efforts to realize this exhibition. Thank you to Gail Farndon, Jaclyn QuaHiansen, Tara Marshall and Joe Vinski.
A special thank you is extended to the many lenders to this show who
have generously shared their treasures with our visitors.
Robert Freeman
Executive Director/Curator
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right
SHAMAN’S DREAM
BRAZILIAN SOAPSTONE
THE SCULPTURE OF
REFLECTIONS OF TRANSFORMATION
IN THE CULTURE AND ART OF THE ARCTIC
R O S LY N T U N I S
T
left
2010 [DETAIL]
RANSFORMAT ION IS EMBEDDED IN THE HISTORY AND MATERIAL
cultures of the earliest populations to enter into Alaska from
Siberia and Asia. This great human migration began during the
Pleistocene Era, more than 16,000 years ago, across Beringia, the
ice-covered land bridge between Siberia and the North American
continent. Over time, these determined peoples spread across
Canada and Greenland, undergoing a continuing process of
cultural change, adaptation and transformation.
The ancient ancestors of today’s Arctic peoples lived in
relative isolation on the North American continent. These
autochthones were exceedingly resourceful and made everything
they needed - housing, clothing, weapons, tools, amulets, even
game pieces - creatively using natural materials in their environment, such as ice, bone, ivory, stone, fur, sinew. With these various
elements of the environment as their primary resources for
survival, their spiritual beliefs centered around the influence
of supernatural spirits and unseen forces.
Eskimo of Alaska and Inuit of Canada and Greenland
believed that all living things and inanimate objects had a soul
or inua. Connection to the spiritual world was a strong daily
imperative and required special accoutrements to communicate
with this other world, objects such as drums, rattles, amulets of
animals and figurines and regalia, to carry and to adorn kayaks
and clothing, ensure fertility in animals and people and help with
a successful hunt. Nearly every Eskimo and Inuit village had a
shaman or angakkuq, to serve as a key conduit between earthly
and spiritual realms and to keep life in balance. Shamans or
angakkuit could transform from human to animal and back again
and travel to the other worlds, communing spirits and animals.
The shaman’s advice was sought regarding optimum weather for
the hunt, abundance of sea mammals, the curing of illnesses and
performing of ceremonial activities.
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Cultural transformation continued to influence these autochthones
as they experienced contact with other societies. According to
archaeologists, brief encounters took place between Vikings and
Inuit in the 10th to 15th centuries, with some cross-fertilization
of beliefs. From the 16th to the 18th centuries, European explorers,
missionaries, whalers and traders arrived on the North American
continent, dramatically transforming the indigenous peoples’ daily
and spiritual life-ways. Missionaries, for example, were seen as a
kind of shaman and influenced Inuit culture through a conflation
of indigenous and Christian thought and practices.
Through this contact with Europeans, the native people
began to think of their material culture and artwork in a new
context: they rapidly learned that their objects and artworks were
appealing and even sought after by outsiders, and could be traded
or sold for other material goods. They began to create items for
trade and through continued contact with Western cultural and
artistic practices, Inuit artists integrated new ideas and imagery
into their work while maintaining their powerful spirituality and
characteristic ingenuity. Artworks became larger in scale, iconography more complex and new aesthetics were integrated with
ancient symbols and imagery.
In both practical matters and in art, the cultures of the
native peoples of Alaska, Canada and Greenland continue to evolve
and transform. And the element of transformation in particular
continues to be a powerful motif in the culture, life, and artwork
of these storied peoples.
below and right:
2010 [DETAILS]
TRANSFORMATION
IN THE WORK OF ABRAHAM ANGHIK RUBEN
Abraham Anghik has incorporated the concept of transformation –
between human and animal, human and avian, sea mammal and
land animal, and between spirits from another world – in numerous,
intensely creative manifestations in his sculptural works.
Originally from Paulatuk in the Western Canadian Arctic,
Anghik is fiercely independent, working alone in his studio on a
small remote island off the coast of British Columbia. He is not part
of the cooperative system of presenting works as part of a northern
community, and his work is unlike that of most Inuit artists. His
sculptures are monumental in scale and extremely complex in
subject matter.
Anghik begins with a huge block of stone or piece of whalebone to start the process of unleashing the images from within.
In many of his works his goal seems to be to fill every surface and
indentation in an expression of horror vacuii (fear of empty spaces).
In other works, the negative spaces become an integral aesthetic
device, balancing the composition.
Anghik’s sculpture is majestic in concept and execution
and cross-cultural in the broadest terms, bridging continents,
oceans, time and space, mountains and ice sheets. The works are
an informed and aesthetic blending of pre-historic, historic and
indigenous imagery using contemporary design and language.
His aesthetics and technique boldly blur and erase boundaries
between art and craft; his stature is as an international artist,
respected for his intellect and his art.
As previously stated, transformation pervades Anghik’s
work as a fundamental concept. Many pieces incorporate multiple
transformations in myriad combinations. Every surface and every
angle is covered with energetic imagination and storytelling. Transformations continue to appear as the viewer moves around a piece
as figures and animals intertwine, surprise and engage at every turn.
The inspiration for Abraham Anghik’s art comes from ancestor
stories, myths and legends. In his work, concepts and iconography
bring oral histories and the spiritual world of the past into complex,
interwoven visual form. The artist is imbued with the importance of
his ancestry, his relationship to his great-grandmother, Kagun, and
great-grandfather, Apakark, for whom he is named; both were
famous Alaskan shamans, or angakkuit in the 19th century.
Anghik’s work also conveys a sense of personal connection to
Viking heritage and artistic styles, through both subject matter and
decorative elements inspired by Celtic design. And, while grounded
in the rich history of his heritage, his commitment to his culture extends to the transformative effects of global warming and climatic
change on the Inuit people and is depicted dramatically in his work.
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COMMENTARY ON
SELECTED WORKS IN THE EXHIBITION
Abraham Anghik’s sculpture features a number of recurrent protagonists and themes. Each demands central stage as they perform,
strut, pivot and encircle each other. Figures emerge in magical
fashion: Sedna, Inuit Goddess of the Sea; Raven; Norse gods and
goddesses; shamans; animals of sea and land; birds; and his greatgrandparents. Human families, otherworldly spirits and forces of
nature intertwine. The panoply is absorbing and inspiring.
THE SHAMAN
The shaman is a key individual in the culture, whose weighty role is
to perform the balancing act of protecting the society and keeping
order. Man and Woman (FIG.15) portrays Anghik’s revered greatgrandparents, shamans Apakark and Kagan, as a Janus-faced
couple one, on each side of a whale vertebrae, he seeming otherworldly and she as human. In Transformation (FIG.22) the large
looming head of a shaman floats in space, precariously balanced
while balancing numerous other figures, surreal and human, in a
composition featuring multiple metamorphoses. Shaman’s Dreams
(FIG.1) presents an impressive supernatural being, deep in thought,
transforming into multiple creatures, some recognizable, others
not. Drummer Transformation (FIG.9) illustrates the sound of the
drum summoning spirits from another world to lead the shaman
into a trance and achieve transformation. Shaman (FIG.3) bears the
very weight of the universe on his shoulders. His work is crucial to
the survival of the people, and his whole being appears exhausted,
conveying deepest fatigue. Connecting a Nordic personage with the
Inuit of the new world, Shaman’s Message (FIG.19) depicts a wizened
Viking shaman enfolded in complex Celtic interlace. These particular
design elements are found in the illuminated manuscripts in the
Book of Kells in early 9th century Ireland.
SPIRIT HELPERS
Many of Anghik’s sculptures depict the shaman’s spirit helpers,
creatures with earthly and spiritual power who assist the shaman
in accomplishing their tasks. Bear and Walrus were seen as the
most powerful animals in the Arctic and therefore worthy assistants.
In Shaman’s Totem (FIG.17) Bear and shaman inhabit the same garment and pound the same drum, at one with each other and the
universe. A shaman is entrapped in the powerful yet ethereal body
of a white stone bear in Shaman Transforming into Bear (FIG.16).
In Shaman and Walrus (FIG.13) the two figures seemingly fight for
supremacy, the challenge of carving whalebone allowing for depiction of particularly raw emotions.
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right
SHAMAN’S MESSAGE
2009 [DETAIL]
RAVEN
In many North American native cultures, Raven is considered as
creator of the world and of first humans. He is also known as
Bringer of Light to the world, responsible for brightening the skies
with the sun, moon and stars. Raven Spirit Protector (FIG.6) shows
Raven as creator and protector of First Man and First Woman,
whom he embraces and enfolds in his wings. The connection
between human and spirit is tight and conveys a sense of complete
safety. In the dramatic whalebone sculpture, Shaman’s Raven Spirit
Helper (FIG.5), the two figures are incorporated as one being, totally
subsumed one by the other.
SEDNA, THE SEA GODDESS
Also known as Nuliajuk, Sedna is responsible for releasing all the
sea mammals for the hunters to pursue and capture. She is a fearsome and demanding creature; if taboos have not been obeyed,
proper rituals have not been performed or her hair has not been
combed well by the shaman, the weather will be stormy and
whales, walrus and other sea creatures will not appear.
In A Time of Changes (FIG.21) Sedna holds on tightly to an
escaping spirit as Inuit and Viking spirits intermingle within
ancient Celtic design motifs. Anghik treats the image of family,
whether spirit or human, with great tenderness, as shown in his
many interpretations of Mother and Child with Sednas. Sedna, Life
out of Balance (FIG.18) depicts dramatic climactic change: melting
icebergs and populations in great trouble, with serious repercussions on life across the Arctic and no evident solutions. Sedna tries
to reverse the situation, to no avail. Though in Birth of Sedna (FIG.24),
the Sea Goddess is as yet unformed, she already seems to be calling
to the animals in the sea. Sedna Family (FIG.2) presents a mature
Sedna surrounded by husband and children, in a close, protective
composition.
MIGRATION
Anghik writes of migration as the passing of ancient Inuit culture.
In Spirit Migration (FIG.12) the people on the umiak are crying to
be heard, terrified that their culture will be lost during the voyage,
caused by global warming and other natural disasters. Concerning
Migration 1 (FIG.4) Anghik writes that these are “spirit travelers on
a journey from this world into the world of myth and legend.”
Underneath the boat, the sea is roiling as a giant whale and other
huge creatures create undulating waves in a storm-tossed sea.
18
Anghik’s fascination with the Vikings is evident in Into the Northern
Hunters Grounds: Bear and Falcon (FIG.23), featuring a ship decorated
with bold and magical Celtic designs, guided by a calm oarsman.
The three magical figures in Passage of Spirits (FIG.7) are propelled
in an umiak by Sedna in the sea beneath them. Two wear masks
and the third is shown in an avian-human transformation; all are
beating drums, appealing for assistance from the spirit world
inhabited by whales and other sea animals.
R O S LY N T U N I S
Independent Curator/Consultant
Roslyn Tunis has worked as a curator and educator in museums and galleries in
New York State and California for more than three decades. Ms. Tunis now works
as an independent curator – organizing exhibitions, lecturing and consulting.
Her graduate degrees are in Art History and Anthropology from Binghamton
University.
Throughout her career, Ms. Tunis curated exhibitions on all aspects of
art, but she specializes in the art and culture of Native peoples of Alaska, Northwest Coast and Canadian Inuit. She was the Academic Advisor to Yua, Spirit of
the Arctic: Eskimo and Inuit Art from the Collection of Thomas G. Fowler, a permanent collection at the Art of the Americas Galleries since 2009. She was also
the curator of Arctic Transformations: The Jewelry of Denise and Samuel Wallace,
a 25 year retrospective of jewellery with design inspired by stories and imagery
of indigenous peoples of Alaska.
Ms. Tunis’ most recent institutional position was Chief Curator of Art
and Anthropology at the University of California Berkeley, Museum at Blackhawk
from 1990-1993. While at UC Berkeley Museum at Blackhawk, she organized the
long-term loan exhibition The Artistic Spirit: 5000 Years of Culture and Creativity
and curated the exhibition Visions and Voices: Contemporary Native American
Artists. Her exhibitions have traveled throughout the country, reaching large and
varied audiences who appreciate being exposed to the indigenous art of North
America in a comprehensible and aesthetic manner.
RESOURCES
Abraham Anghik Ruben: Myths, Stories, Legends
Introduction by Shawna White
Kipling Gallery, Vaughan, Ontario, 2008
Crossroads of Continents, Cultures of Siberia and Alaska
William Fitzhugh and Aron Crowell
Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC,
London, 1988
Inuit-Norse 930-1400 AD
Abraham Anghik Internet statement
Inuit Shamanism and Christianity:
Transitions and Transformations in the Twentieth Century
Frederic B. Laugrand and Jaric G. Oosten
McGill Queens University Press, Montreal & Kingston/
London/ Ithaca, 2010
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ANGATKUQ 2009
whalebone
52 x 125 x 34 cm
Collection of Mr. & Mrs. Pat DiCapo
SELECTED WORKS
FIGURE 1
SHAMAN’S DREAMS
WHALEBONE AND BRAZILIAN SOAPSTONE 62.5 X 33 X 35 CM
Collection of Sprott Asset Management LP
I
n dreams, the shaman’s world may take on many forms of
expression. In these dreams, the past events may take on
new meaning. Many times the dream state will reveal solutions
to problems. In my great-grandparents’ time, shamans were
known to commune with beings from the worlds beyond this
and speak through thoughts and express themselves without
verbal speech. In the dream world, the power of the spirit was
without bounds.
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SELECTED WORKS
SELECTED WORKS
23
FIGURE 2
SEDNA FAMILY
WHALEBONE, BRAZILIAN SOAPSTONE AND JADE 98.5 X 47 X 32 CM
Courtesy of Kipling Gallery
T
he Sedna story differs greatly from region to region
across the vast arctic world of the Inuit. From Siberia,
Far East Russia (Chukotka) to Greenland, the story is one
with a common thread as she is regarded as guardian of all
sea creatures. In some stories, she is the old grandmother,
in others a mature powerful woman with a husband and
children as depicted in this whalebone sculpture. In other
tales, she is a beautiful maiden, goddess of the sea.
24
SELECTED WORKS
SELECTED WORKS
25
FIGURE 3
SHAMAN
BRAZILIAN SOAPSTONE 39 X 41 X 32 CM
T
he shaman was a man or woman chosen at an early age by
an older shaman or by the people within their camps. This
young novice would show signs of unusual behaviour or spoke
of things in dreams.
Once selected, this child would undergo initial tests to validate
his or her genuine connection to the spirit world through the
acquisition of an animal spirit helper. After this, they would
begin the long and arduous training to teach them to become
a man or woman mediator for mankind with the world of
animals and spirits.
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SELECTED WORKS
SELECTED WORKS
27
FIGURE 4
MIGRATION I
BRAZILIAN SOAPSTONE 65 X 35.5 X 20.5 CM
Collection of Mr. & Mrs. Peter Kolacz
W
ith the creatures of the sea as the waters into which they sail,
this group of spirit travelers are on a journey from this world
into the world of myth and legend. It represents the passing of the
old ways and beliefs of the Inuit people. The passengers (shamans)
are depicted with heads of birds and animals.
These gifted shamans have the power to journey in trances and dreams,
visiting places that ordinary mortals would only experience in some
afterlife.
28
SELECTED WORKS
SELECTED WORKS
29
FIGURE 5
SHAMAN’S RAVEN SPIRIT HELPER
WHALEBONE AND BRAZILIAN SOAPSTONE 61 X 34.5 X 31 CM
T
his sculpture of a shaman with a Raven spirit helper is carved
in a piece of whalebone from a section of skull from a bowhead whale. This piece is unusual in that I often depict the Raven
as a creator image as opposed to the subservient spirit helper.
For some families he is a guardian spirit. In Alaska and Siberia
he is a god of creation who cannot be named directly but must
be spoken of indirectly or in the abstract.
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SELECTED WORKS
SELECTED WORKS
31
FIGURE 6
RAVEN SPIRIT PROTECTOR
Courtesy of Museum of Inuit Art
A
mongst the people of the Bering Sea, there was a common
belief of the Raven—a god in the creation myths. Raven was
believed to be the god of the creatures of the land.
In the beginning, Raven created man. He then created the green
land and running water & lakes and created all manner of
animals and birds in pairs. He gave man companionship and
taught man how to hunt and clothe himself from the bounty of
the land. But Raven found man unhappy, so during the night as
man was sleeping, on the banks of a river Raven created woman
from clay. When man awoke, he found woman beside him.
Raven said, “Man, this is woman. She is to be your partner and
equal in all your endeavours.” This is the basis for Inuit people.
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SELECTED WORKS
SELECTED WORKS
33
FIGURE 7
PASSAGE OF SPIRITS
T
his sculpture depicts drummers that are singing and
chanting ancient songs as they are being drawn away
into the mist by Sedna.
Sedna and her sea creatures (seals, whales, and walruses)
form the base of the sculpture. These are the sea animals
that Sedna gave to the Inuit so they could sustain life in
the Arctic environment.
The drummers are made from the knuckle bones of the
flippers from the bowhead whale.
These shamans use the drum to cast spells and communicate with spirits. The drum has had a great impact on
Inuit culture and society, not only for shamanistic ritual
but to pass on to future generations the unwritten
history and stories.
The soapstone masks help transform the shaman’s
drumming experience. The mask restricts physical sight
and enhances the spiritual vision. The masks and the
hypnotic pounding of the drums assist the shamans’
journey under the sea into the sky and on the land.
This sculpture represents the passing of ancient beliefs
into the world of memory and myths.
34
SELECTED WORKS
SELECTED WORKS
35
FIGURE 8
SPIRITS II
BRAZILIAN SOAPSTONE AND JADE INLAY 35 X 20 X 14 CM
I
n the world of the arctic shaman, the spirit helper was an
essential element of the shaman’s power. These spirit helpers
were acquired by the shaman to assist him in his or her endeavours.
In some parts of the arctic as in the Mackenzie Delta Inuit, the
shamans had one or two spirit helpers as the land was more
hospitable. In Greenland, it was not uncommon for a shaman
to possess twelve or more of these spirit helpers/familiars. These
spirit helpers could be used for good or bad intentions.
36
SELECTED WORKS
SELECTED WORKS
37
FIGURE 9
DRUMMER TRANSFORMATION
T
his small drum dance figure, made of whalebone vertebrae,
shows a man with a drum in one hand while the other hand
shows the appearance of taking flight. With the use of the drum
and beater, a shaman could achieve a trance-like state and take
a spirit flight.
38
SELECTED WORKS
SELECTED WORKS
39
FIGURE 10
SHAMAN BECKONING SEDNA
Collection of Mr. & Mrs. Albert Bozzo
I
n the years following the great flu epidemic of 1918, an
Inuvialuit Shaman came into his own.
A Spirit Bird in the form of a giant white falcon appeared to
Kublualuk while he was in prayer up in the mountains. This bird
taught Kublualuk how to become like the falcon to achieve flight
and absorb its power.
In this sculpture Kublualuk is shown with his arms raised, cowllike, to represent his transformation into a bird. He is calling on
Sedna, Goddess of the sea creatures, to release game which she
is holding back from the people.
Sedna is shown on the reverse with her sea creatures.
40
SELECTED WORKS
SELECTED WORKS
41
FIGURE 11
ANGATKUQ
WHALEBONE 52 X 125 X 34 CM
Collection of Mr. & Mrs. Pat DiCapo
T
he Angatkuq could be either male or female (usually
male). The Angatkuq was a person that could interpret
dreams. The Angatkuq would help the person find out if
their dream was good or bad.
The Angatkuq was able to do out of body travel. They could
let their spirit fly between the earth and sky. They could
travel far and fast. They would travel to other camps and
villages to help cure the needy.
42
SELECTED WORKS
SELECTED WORKS
43
FIGURE 12
SPIRIT MIGRATION
BRAZILIAN SOAPSTONE 56.5 X 29 X 116 CM
T
his sculpture is plays on the theme of migration, as in
the migration of spirits to represent the passing on of
the ancient Inuit people, their cultural and spiritual practices.
The passengers on this boat are people, birds, animals and
spirits. At one end of the boat a mother and child are being
protected by wings of a bird spirit (raven). The wings seem
to form the bow of the boat so that the oarsman can cut
through the water with greater ease.
I am also making a statement that this world is a crossroad,
where we as people are in a collision course with nature
and the spirits of our collective past—each of us pushing,
crying, shouting to be heard.
44
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SELECTED WORKS
45
FIGURE 13
SHAMAN AND WALRUS
WHALEBONE 68.3 X 36 X 48 CM
Collection of Mr. & Mrs. Nick Tsimidis
F
rom the Bering Sea to Greenland, the Shaman’s power was
depicted both by the polar bear or the walrus. Among male
shamans, the male polar bear and bull walrus would portray the
shaman’s virility and spirit power. In the Bering Sea and Western
Arctic, the Inuit incorporated the male walrus motif into the
man’s parka as shown by the two stylized white tusks below the
left and right from shoulders. The walrus was the only sea
creature that could stand alone against the polar bear.
46
SELECTED WORKS
SELECTED WORKS
47
FIGURE 14
SHAMAN’S ENLIGHTENMENT
(MOTHER AND CHILD)
WHALEBONE AND BRAZILIAN SOAPSTONE 67.2 X 33 X 26.5 CM
I
n Inuit culture, the mother’s role was crucial to the survival of
the family. Without a woman, a man’s chances of survival were
diminished. The woman as mother and wife kept the home fires
going. The tasks included rearing children, food preparation,
making clothes, keeping traditions alive through storytelling and
duties relating to daily needs for her family. Children were treated
with the utmost regard as it was believed that they were the spirits
of grandparents and deceased relatives reborn. Children were
loved and pampered as it was understood to give them depth
and strength in adulthood.
48
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SELECTED WORKS
49
FIGURE 15
TRANSFORMING SHAMAN
(MAN AND WOMAN)
WHALEBONE AND BRAZILIAN SOAPSTONE 36 X 73.5 X 21 CM
Collection of Mr. Mario Pestrin
M
y great-grandparents on my mother’s side of the family
were Bering Sea Alaskan shamans. They came from
Nunivak Island and Nelson Island. My great-grandmother was
called Kagun; she had as her spirit helper an underground
serpent or dragon in the Asiatic tradition.
This sculpture done in whale bone vertebrae represents their tie
to whaling in the Western Arctic during the late 1800s. My grandparents were hired to navigate a Yankee whaling ship from the
Bering Sea to Hershel Island and the Yukon Territories.
50
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SELECTED WORKS
51
FIGURE 16
SHAMAN TRANSFORMING INTO BEAR
ALABASTER AND BRAZILIAN SOAPSTONE 56 X 36 X 20 CM
T
his sculpture of white alabaster and soapstone depicts
a shaman who has taken on the form of a bear (nonuk).
He has become his spirit familiar (spirit helper) through trance
induced dance or spirit communion. The polar bear represents
the power of the shaman and also the bear as the most powerful
of the animal spirits.
52
SELECTED WORKS
SELECTED WORKS
53
FIGURE 17
SHAMAN’S TOTEM
T
he Inuit believed that the bear (polar bear) was the most
powerful of the animal spirits. The shaman was often
represented as a bear spirit to signify his strength and power,
both in the physical and spirit realms. In this sculpture, I have
chosen the drum dance style of the central and eastern arctic
people, with the shorter drum beater used by the shaman to
enter into a trance like state where he becomes his spirit helper.
54
SELECTED WORKS
SELECTED WORKS
55
FIGURE 18
SEDNA - LIFE OUT OF BALANCE
BRAZILIAN SOAPSTONE 84 X 58.5 X 28 CM
Collection of Mr. & Mrs. Peter & Belinda Priede
T
his sculpture represents a time of great climatic change
which took place in the arctic in the 12th and 13th centuries
that led to the decline of Norse settlements and eventually total
collapse. This collapse is represented by Sedna, the sea goddess,
holding up the world in the form of an iceberg. The few remaining
Inuit and Norse people stand and look outwards. This is a mirror
to what is happening today.
56
SELECTED WORKS
SELECTED WORKS
57
FIGURE 19
SHAMAN’S MESSAGE
Collection of Mr. & Mrs. Peter Kolacz
T
his image of a Norse shaman was inspired by the realization
that the ancient people who practiced this form of religious
and spiritual expression were drawing their power from one and
the same source, from nature and the world of spirits, myths etc.
The individuals who chose this path were given the gift of second
sight or endowed with an unusual gift early in life. Some were
given the gift through life altering experiences in adult life.
However a spirit chose to express itself through these individuals,
many chose to remain true to their ancients as Christianity made
its imprint on their homelands.
This sculpture is of a Viking shaman with a hollow body representing
rebirth, and wearing a bear skin with Norse motif.
58
SELECTED WORKS
SELECTED WORKS
59
FIGURE 20
ANCIENT MEMORIES I
Collection of Mr. & Mrs. Bruno Zaina
T
o the ancient Inuit and the Viking Norse the telling of
stories was essential to their daily lives. Gathering around
communal fires and hearths, their storytellers would recall
these stories, myths and legends of their respective people.
These ancient memories are still being told.
60
SELECTED WORKS
SELECTED WORKS
61
FIGURE 21
A TIME OF CHANGES
Collection of Mr. Bill Shepherd
T
his sculpture represents a time of change within the
Greenlandic Inuit in the early years of contact with the
Viking Norse. The Sedna is holding a mythical creature,
showing the delicate balance that the Inuit had developed in
their relationship to nature and the world of spirits.
The Inuit culture was based on the need for survival through
harvesting of game from land and sea; adapting to the changing
seasons. Whereas, the Norse were principally seafarers and
farmers, who sought the riches of the land, sea and air for the
potential sale and trade value.
62
SELECTED WORKS
SELECTED WORKS
63
FIGURE 22
TRANSFORMATION
BRAZILIAN SOAPSTONE 57.7 X 35 X 17.5 CM
Courtesy of the Museum of Inuit Art
T
ransformation was a theme common to Inuit belief. The idea
that a human could take on the shape of a bird, animal or
spirit was a widely held belief of the ancient Inuit.
Through his or her intercessions as an intermediary between
humans and the world of spirits, the shaman was believed to be
able to transform into birds or animals to gain understanding of
life or to travel and perform tasks in these forms. He could also
travel into the spirit through the use of his soul or spirit body.
64
SELECTED WORKS
SELECTED WORKS
65
FIGURE 23
INTO THE NORTHERN HUNTERS GROUNDS:
BEAR AND FALCON
Collection of Mr. & Mrs. Bruno Zaina
H
aving established themselves in southern Greenland, the Viking Norse have made
forays into Northern Greenland where vast numbers of sea mammals abound.
There are polar bears, seals, walruses, whales, good fishing, caribou and musk-oxen on
land. There is opportunity of capturing the gyrfalcon and peregrine falcon, a highly
valued treasure that provided much needed income for these far flung colonists.
Over time and after initial contact with the Baffin & North Greenland Inuit, the Vikings
and Inuit come to some accommodation and engage in trade and communal hunting
that benefits all.
This sculpture shows a mother protecting her child under the wing of a falcon.
Here the falcon is protecting them both for their long journey. The Inuit mother was
responsible for nurturing and caring for the young.
On the other side of the sculpture is an image of a man looking over the side of the boat.
He is being protected by the bear on his long trip towards the Northern Hunters Grounds.
66
SELECTED WORKS
SELECTED WORKS
67
FIGURE 24
BIRTH OF SEDNA
BRAZILIAN SOAPSTONE AND WHALEBONE 46 X 37 X 53 CM
Collection of Mr. Mario Pestrin
S
edna as goddess of the sea was known in many stages of
womanhood. In Siberia and amongst the Bering Sea Inuit
she was the Great Grandmother of the sea and a mature woman.
In North Alaska she was seen as an ill-mannered sea creature.
Elsewhere in the Arctic she was seen as a young maiden, mature
woman or old hag.
In this sculpture I have depicted her at the moment of her
becoming a sea goddess. This legend she has been cast from her
father’s boat, drowns, and at the moment of her demise she
becomes goddess of the sea; her fingers that were cut off by her
father become seals and other creatures of the sea. She is also
known as Nuliajug.
68
SELECTED WORKS
SELECTED WORKS
69
FIGURE 25
SHAMAN’S DREAM
BRAZILIAN SOAPSTONE 78.5 X 36.5 X 51 CM
Collection of Sheldon Interwash and Lynn Factor
F
rom ancient times to the present, the Shaman (Angatkut) has
been front and centre in the world of the Inuit. The angatkut
shaman was the one called to be the intermediary between the
world of man and the world of spirit. His skill was called for when
it became necessary to commune with Sedna, goddess of sea
creatures, i.e. seals, walrus, whales, fish, etc. At times of extreme
weather and famine he would intercede on the people’s behalf
and bring about change for the better. He was the keeper of the
Inuit cultural tradition, stories, myths, legends and taboos. At
times a lifetime of study was needed to fulfill his position within
his group or tribe. In this sculpture he is shown sitting and
leaning on a staff or walking stick. Draped over him is a bear skin
that is covered with carved images of birds, animals and spirits as
is the body of the shaman. At the very center of the back of the
sculpture is the face of Sedna (sea goddess). Radiating from her
face is carved images of the creatures of the sea and birds of the
sea. The sculpture as a whole represents the world of spirit and
the world of birds and animals and the world of humans.
70
SELECTED WORKS
SELECTED WORKS
71
12
As a storyteller, I have sought to bring life to the ancient
voices from a time when the Inuit and the Viking Norse
held a reverence for the land and for all living things
therein that provided sustenance and survival.
WHALEBONE AND BRAZILIAN SOAPSTONE
176 X 207 X 62 CM
Courtesy of the artist
MEMORIES:
AN ANCIENT PAST
I
N THE L AT E SU MME R OF AUGUST 2009 MY SON TIMOTH Y AND I
visited my home settlement of Paulatuk, Northwest Territories,
an Inuvialuit community since the early 1930’s. Paulatuk translates
to “place of soot”. Massive deposits of coal lay over the high hill
along the coast that stretches east and west. The ancient Inuit used
this coal for fuel as did the whalers. The missionaries arrived in 1938
to set up their mission. They probably found Paulatuk a favourable
place to establish their mission because of these large coal deposits
which they were able to use as fuel in the absence of wood, a scarcity
in the northern regions.
My nephew John “Max” Kudluk, informed me that he had
found a massive whale skull 30 miles up the coast due north of
Paulatuk. He stumbled upon this enormous whalebone when he
and his companion were shore-bound due to heavy eastern wind
storms, common at that time of the year. John and his companion
were stranded in this area for some-time. John decided to walk the
coast, scouring the beaches and land for game and anything that
could be deemed useful while they were stranded. During one of
these walks he came across the whale skull. The skull had been
pushed up onto a high gravel bar, most likely from ice ridges that
developed along the coastline due to tides and currents. I examined
the photographs of the skeletal remains and I believe this bowhead
whale skull was from a whale that had died of natural causes and
had been beached at this site. Over time and countless seasons, the
natural climatic elements impacted dramatically on the skeletal
remains. All that was left of the once massive whale was this skull
that was pushed up to a high embankment on the beach. I agreed
to acquire this large whalebone sight unseen.
75
In the spring of 2010, John “Max” Kudluk and his cousin Jason
Ruben travelled up the coast by ski-do and sled to the location
of the skull and with great care they were able to bring back the
whalebone intact. The photos that I received revealed just how
massive a skull it was and confirmed my guess of it being a
bowhead whale. On my trip to Paulatuk in August of 2010,
I arranged for the shipping of the whalebone from Paulatuk
to Inuvik N.T., to Vancouver and then to Salt Spring Island B.C.
When I first received news the whalebone had arrived, I quickly
began working on an outline to develop ideas and to discover
images that could be created from this massive piece of bone. It
became clear to me from the photos that a sculpture telling the
legends, life and beliefs of the Inuvialuit people would be the best
use of this material.
When I received the whalebone skull, I began by setting
the piece in an upright position with its nose pointing downward.
The topside which I refer to as the front element would portray the
world of the Inuvialuit, with the mother and child to one side and
an Inuit whale hunter opposite them. At the center is a Shaman
and the people for whom he is held responsible. The opposite side
or underside of the whale bone would be carved to represent the
spirit world of the Shaman and Sedna, the Goddess of the Sea.
The story begins with an image of a Shaman at the center
(topside), standing with outstretched arms embracing a man and
a woman above him. The Shaman’s head is hollow as is his chest.
This represents his shamanistic ability to travel between the spirit
world and the physical world. His chest cavity is hollow showing
the stylized ribcage. This represents the Shaman’s death and rebirthof becoming a more powerful and spiritually attuned force. The
man and woman represent humankind. The Raven figure seen at
the left hand of the Shaman is a pivotal image in the creation mythology of the western arctic. It was the Raven who created the land,
its lakes and rivers. Raven flora and fauna, populate and colour the
landscape. The Raven saw that a vital element was missing so he
created a man to whom he taught the art of hunting and survival.
Over time, this man became adept at hunting and gained the skills
he needed to survive in this harsh, though bountiful land. Raven
noticed that man saw other animals paired with companions and
saw that man was extremely lonely. One night as man slept, Raven
created a woman from the clay of the river bank where man rested.
In the morning man awoke to find woman next to him. Raven
spoke to them saying “Man, this is woman. She is to be your companion and your equal. Together you will make your home from
what I have created.” The generations that resulted from this
union are portrayed in the sculpture to the lower left and right
of the Shaman.
76
top to bottom:
[ EVOLUTION OF WORK, RAVEN DETAIL ]
above:
[ TOPSIDE VIEW ]
77
above:
[UNDERSIDE VIEW ]
78
top to bottom:
[ MOTHER & CHILD, SEA CREATURE DETAILS]
On the upper left side of this sculpture is the image of a mother and
child. In the past, Inuit children were brought up with loving care.
Children were thought to be deceased relatives reborn as children.
The Inuit belief in reincarnation reinforced their reverence for children and the women who raised them. This belief coupled with the
belief in the existence of the soul in all living things coloured all
aspects of Inuit life. On the shoulder of the mother is the figure of
a young boy in a sitting position. This boy, who sits inside a small
shelter that is represented by his mother’s hair, is undergoing the
first stage of becoming a Shaman’s apprentice. This is accomplished
by depriving the young boy of nourishment and human contact
until he connects with the spirit world and is visited by his spirit
helper. As soon as this happens, he is then chosen to undergo years
of strenuous training in order to become a man worthy of this status
to be a mediator between man and the world of spirit. Below the
seated boy is an image of a boat full of figures representing migration, and below it are seals and fish coming out of an opening.
They too are engaged in their annual migration.
To the upper right is the Inuit hunter standing at the prow
of his “umiak” (an open boat that can carry more than one person),
ready to strike his toggle harpoon into a male beluga whale. The
ancient Inuit hunted belugas, narwhals and larger bowhead whales
from their umiak and or their kayak.
Behind the Inuit Hunter situated on the right side of the
sculpture, facing it from the front, is the figure of a Shaman in a
trance-like state as if taking flight. His hair is streaming back, his
right arm is striking forward and his open mouth issues words of
power. His right arm forms into a loon’s head with spirit helpers in
front of him. Above him are images of bears, walruses, seals, snowy
owls, birds and animals who are chosen to be spirit helpers. On the
right hand side of this sculpture is a young Inuit maiden who
reflects the Sedna’s story of the Central and Eastern Arctic.
Sedna grew up with her mother and father. When she
became of marrying age, her mother and father sought out to find
a suitable husband for her. She refused to accept anyone, until a
handsome young man arrived in his kayak. This handsome young
man was dressed in fancy furs. The young man did not leave his
kayak. He is known as the Stormy Petrel. He is disguised as a man.
He is man-like from the waist up and bird from below the waist.
Sedna accepts his offer and he takes her back to his island. Here
she discovered that she had been deceived by the Stormy Petrel:
she became lonely and homesick. When a year passed and the sea
was warm enough to travel, her father decided to visit her. Sedna
was overjoyed to see her father and told him that she was unhappy.
She convinced him to take her back with him. Her father took Sedna
into his boat to take her back. When the Stormy Petrel saw what had
79
left:
[ SEDNA HAND DETAIL]
right:
SHAMAN’S DREAM 2009
[ BACK DETAIL]
happened, he flew out to search for them, he stirred up the sea
and created a storm. Sedna’s father feared for his life and decided
to throw Sedna overboard. She hung onto the side of the boat.
Her father took out a knife and started cutting off her fingers.
As her fingers fell into the sea each finger became a different sea
creature. She fell into the sea and drowned. At the moment of her
death, she becomes Sedna, goddess of the sea.
In the sculpture, Sedna has her right arm outstretched
with the missing digits and below the fingers are sea creatures
made of soapstone that wind their way around to the other side.
The sea creatures that were created from her fingers, form her hair.
Above her head, a soapstone Sedna rises like a phoenix reborn.
In the central part of the sculpture are images of a bear,
caribou and wolverine, creatures of the land created by the Raven
who is above them. The Raven was believed to be the god of the
creatures of the land. That is why there are images of the Raven on
both sides of the sculpture. Coming out from the front at the topmost rim of the sculpture are four Shaman drum dancers. The
Shaman use the drum beat to enter into a trance-like state and
become his spirit helpers. The lower drum dancer is a Raven with
a masked figure above him; and either side of the masked figure
are two spirit drum dancers. The gifted Shaman have the power to
journey through their trances and dreams, visiting places that
ordinary mortals can only experience in some afterlife.
80
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I
t is only with the generous assistance of many contributors that
we were able to realize this exhibition and publication. We wish
to extend our sincere thanks to the following individuals for their
contribution to this project.
First I would like to thank the curators of Kipling Gallery:
Rocco Pannese and Lou Ruffolo. Their enthusiasm, unfailing support
and commitment to this exhibition has been extremely important
in bringing together this artist’s work.
A special note of thanks is extended to the artist, Abraham
Anghik Ruben. He has worked tirelessly on this project and has been
a valuable source of insight into the individual pieces and the Inuit
stories represented. His humility and unsurpassing talent as a sculptor
have made the organization of this show a pleasure.
Roslyn Tunis’ perceptive essay on Abraham’s works in this
show, Shaman’s Dreams, has facilitated our reading of the sculptures
and enhanced our appreciation of Inuit culture. Her placement of
Abraham’s works within the native context offers great insight to
his art practice.
Thank you to the lenders for this exhibition. Their generosity
and willingness to share their private collection has broadened our
understanding of Abraham’s commitment to his art. Special thanks
are addressed to: the Museum of Inuit Art, Sprott Asset Management LP, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Kolacz, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Bozzo, Mr.
and Mrs. Pat DiCapo, Mr. and Mrs. Nick Tsimidis, Mr. Mario Pestrin,
Mr. and Mrs. Peter and Belinda Priede, Mr. and Mrs. Bruno Zaina,
Mr. Bill Shepherd, Mr. and Mrs. Bruno Zaina and Mr. Sheldon
Inwentash and Lynn Factor. You have enriched our lives by sharing
your Abraham Anghik Ruben work with our visitors.
Michael Beynon, as always, was instrumental in the preparation
and installation of the final exhibition. Assisted by Max Robertson, the
end presentation was a great success.
Gail Farndon, Operations Manager AGM, has been a constant
advocate of Abraham’s work and has assisted with the logistics in
making this show happen. Jaclyn Qua-Hiansen, Gallery Assistant
AGM, has been extensively involved in the promotion and marketing
of Shaman’s Dreams and has contributed to its final success.
Thank you to Adrianne Cataneo, Daniel Dabrowski, and Silvio
Calcagno for the photography used in the online publication and CD.
Quality photography is essential to the visual impact of this publication.
Finally I would like to thank Rob Gray for his patience and the
sensitive design of this publication.
Robert Freeman
Rocco Pannese
Kipling Gallery
83
Born in Paulatuk, North West Territories 1951
EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE
1971 Native Art Centre, University of Alaska studied under Ronald Senungetuk
1991 Instructor for Inuit Artists’ College sculpture workshop in Ottawa
2010 Chair, Canadian National Committee for the Organization of the Circumpolar Exhibition,
Arts from the Arctic.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS (*indicates catalogue)
2010 Abraham Anghik Ruben: Shaman’s Dreams, Art Gallery of Mississauga
2009 Abraham Anghik Ruben, Kipling Gallery
2008 Abraham Anghik Ruben: Myths, Stories, Legends, Kipling Gallery, Woodbridge, ON*
2003 The Art of Abraham Anghik Ruben, Appleton Galleries, Vancouver, BC
2001 - 2002 Abraham Anghik Ruben, Winnipeg Art Gallery*
2000, 2001, 2002 Paiges Art Gallery, Ketchum, Idaho
1998 Maslak – McLeod, Santa Fe
1994 Abraham Anghik: Works in Bronze, The Isaacs/Inuit Gallery, Toronto
1991 “Spirit of My People:” Sculptures by Abraham Anghik, The Alaska Shop, New York
1981 Images for a Canadian Heritage, Vancouver
1980 Abraham Anghik – New Sculptures, The Pollock Gallery, Toronto
1980 Bayard Gallery, New York
1979 The Pollock Gallery, Toronto
TWO PERSON EXHIBITIONS (*indicates catalogue)
1989 Out of Tradition: Abraham Anghik/David Ruben Piqtoukun, Winnipeg Art Gallery*
GROUP EXHIBITIONS (*indicates catalogue)
2010
2010
2007
2007
2005
2004
1997
1995
1993
1993
84
Winnipeg Art Gallery
Canada’s Northern House, Winter Olympics 2010, Vancouver, BC
National Gallery of Canada, Touring Exhibition, Inuit Sculpture Now*
ItuKiagattal! Inuit Sculpture from the Collection of the TD Bank Financial Group,
Guest Exhibitor, Victoria Art Gallery
Iceland 1000 AD, Mayberry Gallery, Winnipeg
Noah’s Ark, National Gallery Shawinigan, Québec
Sun Valley Centre for Arts and Humanities, Ketchum, Idaho
Canadian Inuit Sculpture: The Next Generation, Orca Aart Gallery, Chicago
Arts from the Arctic, organized by the Canadian National Committee, Arts from the Arctic
and Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, Yellowknife
Arts from the Arctic, Anchorage Museum, Anchorage, Alaska, Yakutsk Art Centre,
Yakutsk, Republic of Sakha, Siberia
1987 Orcas Gallery, Salt Spring Island
1984 Images Art Gallery, Toronto
1984 - 1988 Arctic Vision: Art of the Canadian Inuit, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern
Development, Ottawa. Tour of United States and Canada
1983 - 1985 Contemporary Indian and Inuit Art of Canada, Department of Indian Affairs and
Northern Development, Ottawa
1982 New Work by a New Generation, Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery, University of Regina
1982 Recent Works by Anghik, Morriseau, Odjig, Thomas, Gallery Quan, Toronto
1982 Works by Abraham Anghik, David Piqtoukun, Stefanie Ham, Gallery Quan, Toronto
1981 The Inuit Sea Goddess, Surrey Art Gallery, Surrey
1981 Gallery Quan, Toronto
1980 National Museum of Man, Ottawa
1980 Children of the Raven Gallery, Vancouver
1979 Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto
1978 The Coming and Going of the Shaman, Winnipeg Art Gallery
1977 Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto
1975 University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto
Canadian Embassy, Washington DC
Canadian Museum of Civilization, Ottawa
De Young Museum – Fowler Collection – San Francisco
Glenbow Museum, Calgary
House of Commons, Ottawa
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Ottawa
McMaster University Art Gallery, Hamilton
McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg
Museum of Inuit Art, Toronto
National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa
Norwegian Folk Museum, Oslo, Norway
Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, Yellowknife
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto
University of Alaska, Board of Regents, Juneau, Alaska
Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia
Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg
CORPORATE COLLECTIONS
Alberta Stock Exchange, Calgary
Alcan World Headquarters, Montreal
BC Chartered Accountants Building, Vancouver
BMW Canada, Ontario
Citicorp, Toronto
GlaxoSmithKline, Mississauga
Imperial Oil Ltd., Alberta
85
CORPORATE COLLECTIONS (CONT.)
Kingswood Capital, Vancouver
Labatt’s Ltd., Ontario
Pinetree Capital Ltd., Toronto
PowerOne Capital Markets ltd., Toronto
The Richardson Group, Winnipeg
Sprott Asset Management, Toronto
Terasen Gas Building, Vancouver
PUBLICATIONS
Abraham Anghik Ruben: Myths, Stories, Legends, 2008, Kipling Gallery, Woodbridge, ON
Abraham Anghik Ruben, 2001. Winnipeg Art Gallery
Out of Tradition: Abraham Anghik/David Ruben Piqtoukun, 1989, Winnipeg Art Gallery
Inuit Sculpture Now, 2007, National Gallery of Canada, Touring Group Exhibition
June 2008 “From the Spirit”, Documentary, Bravo AE
ACHIEVEMENTS
1986 Expo 86 - Banner and backdrop for NWT Pavillion performance stage, Vancouver, Canada
1990 National competition for GlaxoSmithKline Canadian Headquarters,
16’ limestone sculpture, Northern Myth Northern Legend
1993 Manulife national sculpture competition for placement at BC Gas Building, Vancouver
1992 Commissioned - Holocaust Sculpture Memorial, Holocaust Museum, Jerusalem, Israel
2010 National competition for University of Manitoba’s Aboriginal Student Centre,
7.5’ bronze sculpture.
86

Abraham Anghik Ruben | SHAMAN`S DREAMS

Transcription

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