14" Whale by Luca Mikkigak

Inuit art: Whale   
Inuit Artist: Luca Mikkigak
Size: 14" long, 6" high, 4" wide
Community: Cape Dorset, NU
Stone: Serpentine
id: ndc-198-1266772ahijy

This is a stunning black whale carved by Inuit artist Luca Mikkigak (from Cape Dorset, Nunavut).

First, I am in awe of Luca and the skill he requires to be able to take this top heavy carving and balance it on its relatively diminutive tail! A less experienced carver may have placed the whale’s flippers in an outstretched position to counter the heavy upper body. But Mikkigak keeps the flippers soft and docile so all the weight is transferred to the tail. This sculpture seems to defy gravity.

Second, the stone is magnetic and stunning. I can see this carving as a centrepiece in a foyer, on a desk or on a mantel. It deserves to sparkle and dazzle under a spotlight.

I am fascinated by the veins in the stone. By sheer chance, they are draped around the “neck” of this massive mammal. I see the veins as the scars resulting from years of living in the harsh environment of the Arctic Ocean. Or are the veins the sunlight refracted through the water, playfully caressing Whale’s shoulders as he breaks through the surface to grab a mandatory breath?

This sculpture is dramatic. It has substance.

This is the type of complex carving the Inuit art enthusiast finds so satisfying. It can be hard to find.

I am so happy to be able to present it to my clients.

PROUDLY CANADIAN SINCE 2008