Shamen Transforming
$5,500.00
Available
Description
‘Shamen Transforming’ by Irene Avaalaaqiaq from Baker Lake — this 2017 original textile wall hanging is a magnificent, highly concentrated masterwork of hand-cut felt applique and narrative embroidery.
Condition: Very Good Condition. 5″ long repair mid‑lower area. Not obviously visible but can be noticed. It is not uncommon that artists will patch their own work during creation. See picture #8 for highlighted detail of the stich repaired area.
Description by Artist: No description by artist found.
Notes from DaVic Gallery: This amazing 2017 textile wall hanging by Irene Avaalaaqiaq is a masterclass in high-impact graphic authority and cosmological storytelling. Rather than diffusing its energy across a sprawling landscape, this piece concentrates the absolute essence of shamanic metamorphosis into a perfectly balanced, symmetrical three-figure triad. Set against a deep, light-absorbing black field and enclosed by an intricate, undulating perimeter of crimson spirit silhouettes, the work represents a rare and pristine manifestation of the artist’s late-period aesthetic maturity.
To organize this complex cosmology, Avaalaaqiaq segments her narrative into a beautiful, protective structural sequence:
- Outer Perimeter: A rhythmic crimson border populated with repeating spirit profiles that contain and amplify the transformative energy within.
- Central Core: A radiant golden-yellow, three-headed shaman flanked by two green transformation beings in mid-flight.
- Terrestrial Grounding: A solid, low-reflective black wool duffle field that provides maximum tonal separation for the figures.
The iconography distills the central mystery of Angakkuuniq (shamanic flight). The central golden-yellow figure, bearing three distinct heads and broad, avian-webbed feet, represents the Angakkuk (shaman) at the absolute apex of multi-dimensional perception, possessing the spiritual vision required to look into multiple realms simultaneously. Flanking this central anchor are two emerald-green Tuurngait (helping spirit guides), whose multi-limbed and bird-headed contours stabilize the shaman’s passage through the liminal veil. Avaalaaqiaq’s execution here is exceptionally disciplined: the internal herringbone accents and vertical row-stitching across the figures’ lower torsos function as spiritual anatomy, giving the flat felt silhouettes an intense tactile weight under gallery illumination.
Born near the Kazan River, Irene Avaalaaqiaq Tiktaalaaq is an internationally celebrated pillar of the Baker Lake (Qamani’tuaq) textile renaissance, an Order of Canada recipient, and an artist whose works are preserved in premier global institutions including the National Gallery of Canada and the Smithsonian Institution. This work beautifully projects the foundational Inuit value of Tunnganarniq—affirming the eternal, respectful reciprocity between humanity, zoomorphic guardians, and the unseen universe.
From an investment and scarcity perspective, late-period Avaalaaqiaq textiles featuring this coveted primary triad palette (yellow-green-red) have become exceedingly difficult to secure on the secondary market. This masterwork represents an exceptional acquisition opportunity for an original textile wall-hanging of such intense compositional focus and crisp condition. The format offers superb architectural display versatility for sophisticated residential or corporate interiors where a six-foot installation is prohibitive, while preserving the full museum-grade pedigree of her largest works.
The lower mid-section features an authentic, five-inch ancestral artist-repair—a standard and celebrated characteristic of historic Baker Lake creation, where makers intuitively integrated material patches directly on the frame. This inclusion adds a layer of raw physical provenance and lived history to the piece.
The blank sheet of letter-size (8.5” x 11”) paper covering part of the image in the scale documentation is provided for exact reference, showcasing the textile’s commanding, balanced presence.
Copyright Note: © 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 original artwork title and artist’s name.