Iqaluviniq

Description

‘Iqaluviniq’ by Ningeokuluk Teevee is a 2026 Cape Dorset original graphite and acrylic pen diptych on paper. The title means fish remains or fish skeleton, and Teevee transforms this simple subject into a powerful meditation on survival, memory, and the structures that sustain life.

Condition – No condition noted. Paper surfaces appear clean and stable.

Description by Artist – No description by artist found.

Notes from DaVic Gallery – Ningeokuluk Teevee’s ‘Iqaluviniq’ is a striking example of how minimalism can carry immense conceptual weight. The title, meaning fish remains or fish skeleton, grounds the work in the realities of Arctic life, where every part of the land and sea plays a role in sustaining the community.

The fish skeleton spans two panels, its ribs arching outward like the curved walls of an igloo. This visual echo is intentional: Teevee draws a connection between the structures that feed the body and the structures that shelter it. The skeleton becomes both architecture and memory, a record of what once sustained life.

In contrast, the head is rendered as a dense block of ink, a solid presence that anchors the composition. This ink-solid head represents the living mind, the inhabited space, the home. It is the part of existence that remains opaque and full, even when the body has been reduced to bone.

The tension between the solid head and the open, airy skeleton creates a philosophical dialogue about presence and absence. The head symbolizes identity and consciousness, while the skeleton symbolizes what remains after life has passed through. Together, they form a meditation on continuity: the body may be consumed, but the spirit, the home, and the memory endure.

The diptych format reinforces this idea of fragmentation and wholeness. The fish is split across two panels, yet the viewer must hold the image together. It mirrors how Arctic life is lived between land and sea, between physical sustenance and spiritual resilience.

Collectors will appreciate ‘Iqaluviniq’ for its rare blend of simplicity and depth. It is a piece that rewards slow looking and invites reflection on the relationship between structure, survival, and identity. This is Teevee at her most distilled and philosophical, offering a work that feels both ancient and contemporary.

The blank sheet of letter size (8 ½ x 11 in) paper covering part of the image in the scale reference picture is provided for size comparison, offering an immediate sense of the drawing’s scale and presence.

Copyright – (c) DaVic Art Gallery, 2026. All rights reserved. Content may be quoted or reproduced for educational or promotional purposes only with clear attribution to DaVic Art Gallery of Native Canadian Arts and inclusion of the artwork title and the artist’s name.