Live Webcast Auction
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Price Realized:
20,000.00 CAD
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Price Realized 20,000.00 CAD
Date Sold 2024-06-10T00:00:00
Date(s)
5/20/2024 - 6/10/2024
AUCTIONEER INFORMATION
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The auction will run with Live attendance, by telephone, and online through Hibid & Liveauctioneers.


Information
Lot # 58
Estimate 9,000.00 - 12,000.00 CAD
Group - Category Art - Prints / Lithographs
Lead KENOJUAK ASHEVAK, INUIT, The Arrival of the Sun, 1
Description
KENOJUAK ASHEVAK, C.C., R.C.A. (1927-2013) KINNGAIT (CAPE DORSET) The Arrival of the Sun, 1962 #69 Printmaker: LUKTA QIATSUK (1928-2004) KINNGAIT (CAPE DORSET) stonecut, 25 x 32.25 (63.5 x 81.9 cm) 49/50 Provenance Innuit Gallery, Toronto, their preserved label from the previously discarded frame, verso; Private Collection, Toronto; Estate of the above. In 1963, Kenojuak Ashevak was the focus of the National Film Board's documentary, Eskimo Artist: Kenojuak [1]. This captivating 19-minute film provides viewers with a unique insight into the transformation of Kenojuak's graphite drawing for The Arrival of the Sun into a stone plate, and its subsequent printing in the workshop for eventual sale. Garnering an Oscar nomination and winning several awards, this documentary undeniably catapulted Kenojuak to stardom. In a 1983 interview with Inuktitut magazine, Kenojuak reflected on the extraordinary and transformative impact the film had on her career. At the time of filming, while she could not have envisioned how the portrayal of her creative process for The Arrival of the Sun would catapult her to stardom, the income from the film provided her with unprecedented financial freedom. The funds enabled her husband Johnniebo, also featured in the film, to purchase a canoe from Lukta Qiatsuk. "For years,” Kenojuak shared, “Johnniebo had striven to achieve independence and now at last was able to hunt alone. It seemed like a new beginning for us" [2]. In the film, the roles of Iyola Kingwatsiak as the plate cutter and Lukta Qiatsuk as the printmaker are showcased, highlighting their indispensable contributions to the printmaking process. Intriguingly, until now, Iyola's role as the stonecutter has been conspicuously absent from the vast body of literature that has reproduced the print. In our dialogues with Sandra Barz, we acknowledge the regrettable lack of documentation from Kinngait's early printmaking days but it is both serendipitous and enthralling that new insights continue to surface and that we are able to contribute to deepening understanding and appreciation of this pivotal phase in the history of Inuit art [3]. Moreover, having the opportunity to view the film allows us to observe the transformations from Kenojuak’s original drawing to the final print. Notably, the central face in Kenojuak’s drawing, bearing a striking resemblance to The Woman Who Lives in the Sun, is absent in the printed version. Beyond the impact that the making of this particular print had on Kenojuak’s life and career, its formal qualities are nothing short of mesmerizing. The Arrival of the Sun is a striking work which presents a composition that is a dance of fluid forms, marked by a boldness of colour. The depicted birds, rendered in curvilinear elegance, seem to embody movement and life associated with the return of the sun after the period of Polar Night. The birds flitter about and encircle a central sun, which bursts forth in a radiant yellow, as if in celebration of its warmth and return. This particular edition of the print has preserved the intensity of the yellow remarkably well, giving it a presence so potent that the sun’s warmth is not merely seen but almost felt. We extend our gratitude to Sandra Barz for invaluable input when cataloguing this lot. 1. The National Firm Board notes the incorrect use of the word “Eskimo,” "an outdated and offensive term was formally rejected by the Inuit Circumpolar Council in 1980." It is important to note that colonial mythologizing is abundant in the film but the technical aspects are sound illustrations. 2. Kenojuak in “Autobiography”, Jean Blodgett, Kenojuak, (Toronto: Firefly Books / Mintmark Press Ltd., 1985) p. 22. 3. Correspondence with Sandra Barz, 25 March 2024. We extend our gratitude to Sandra Barz for invaluable input when cataloguing this lot. References: See film Eskimo Artist: Kenojuak Ashevak on the NFB’s website: https://www.nfb.ca/film/eskimo-artist-kenojuak/ (Accessed 20 March 2024). Sandra Dyck in Atiqput: Inuit Oral History and Project Naming, [(sl: McGill-Queen's University Press, 2022), pp. 198-99.] discussed the film at length. Jean Blodgett also discussed the film in her publication Kenojuak, (Toronto: Firefly Books / Mintmark Press Ltd., 1985, p. 22). The full interview with Kenojuak regarding is in “lnuktitut Asks Kenojuak About Her Life as an Artist and Mother”, Inuktitut, January, 1983. pp. 8-16, parts of this interview, along with stills from the film, are reproduced in Inuit Art Quarterly, vol. 27, no. 1, Winter, 2014, pp. 16-21. The Arrival of the Sun has reproduced in several important books on the artist and elsewhere, including but not limited to: Helga Goetz, The Inuit Print, international travelling exhibition, (Ottawa: National Museums of Canada and the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs, 1977), pl. 26, p. 78 and p. 6 in colour; Jean Blodgett, Kenojuak, (Toronto: Firefly Books / Mintmark Press Ltd., 1985), pl. 28, unpag.; Leslie Boyd Ryan, Cape Dorset Prints: A Retrospective, (San Francisco: Pomegranate, 2007), p. 61; Norman Vorano, Inuit Prints: Japanese Inspiration, (Gatineau: Canadian Museum of Civilization, 2011), cat. 28, p. 86; and Anna Hudson, ?Jocelyn Piirainen, ?& Georgiana Uhlyarik, Tunirrusiangit: Kenojuak Ashevak and Tim Pitsiulak, exh. cat., (Toronto: Art Gallery of Ontario, 2018), p. 57. Interestingly, on the cover of North / Nord Magazine, Vol., XV, no. 4, July/Aug 1968, an anthropomorphized sun appears on a design for gift wrapping paper that resembles the omitted sun from Kenojuak’s drawing for The Arrival of the Sun. The absence of condition does not imply that an item is free from defects, nor does a reference to particular defects imply the absence of any others. Our team can provide thorough and comprehensive condition reports and additional images. We welcome your enquiries at info@firstarts.ca or 647-286-5012. NOTE Many countries prohibit or restrict importation or exportation of property containing ivory, whale bone, sealskin, and/or products derived from other endangered or protected species, and require special licenses or permits in order to import or export such property. It is the responsibility of the buyer to ensure that the item is properly and lawfully exported / imported.
Name Spring 2024 | Inuit & First Nations Art Auction
Auctioneer
Type Live Webcast Auction
Date(s) 5/20/2024 - 6/10/2024
Auction Date/Time Info
Monday, June 10 | 7:00 PM ET
Preview Date/Time Friday, June 7 | 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Saturday, June 8 | 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Sunday, June 9 | 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Monday, June 10 | 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Location
Buyer Premium 22% Buyer's Premium
Description
We are enormously pleased to present our Spring 2024 auction catalogue, featuring a remarkable collection of art created by North American Indigenous artists. For months we have worked with these extraordinary pieces, embracing the opportunity to delve deeply into their stories and significance. It is with great pride that we now offer them for your discerning consideration. This sale, featuring 146 lots, offers a wide range of outstanding works. We invite you to explore and appreciate the profound cultural significance, artistic excellence, and historic relevance of these works, each a testament to the enduring spirit and creativity of Indigenous peoples across North America.
Please read these conditions of sale and the sale particulars carefully before placing any bid on a lot. By registering to bid and/or by bidding at auction, you agree to these terms and conditions and they will become contractually binding to you. Please ensure that you have understood all charges, fees, and taxes that may be applied to your bid price before placing your bid. IMPORTANT NOTES All lots will be offered and sold subject to these Terms and Condition of Sale as well as any Glossary and posted announcements. By bidding at auction, bidders are bound by those Conditions, as amended by any announcements or posted notices, which together form the Contract of Sale between the successful bidder (buyer), First Arts Premiers Inc. and The Consignor (Seller) of the lot. Description or photographs of lots are not warranties and each lot is sold "As Is" in accordance with the Conditions of Sale. The Terms and Conditions of Sale of First Arts Premiers Inc. are subject to change. REMOVAL OF LOTS It is the responsibility of the buyer to make all arrangements for packing, insurance, and removing the property purchased. Any assistance by the auctioneer, his agents or contractors in packing or removal shall be rendered as a courtesy and without any liability to them. First Arts Premiers Inc. will not undertake packing or shipping of lots purchased at auction. The purchaser must designate and arrange for the services of an independent shipper and be responsible for all shipping and insurance expenses. First Arts Premiers Inc. will, upon request, provide names of professional packers and shippers but will not be held responsible for the service or have any liability for providing this information. Reliable pre-auction estimates of shipping costs of lots offered in this sale may be obtained from: PakShip 905-470-6874 inquiry@pakship.ca IMPORT / EXPORT Many countries prohibit or restrict importation or exportation of property containing ivory, tortoise shell, whale bone, sealskin, and/ or products derived from other endangered or protected species, and require special licenses or permits in order to import or export such property. Please review your country's laws before bidding on pieces made of or containing these restricted items. It is the responsibility of the purchaser to ensure that the item is properly and lawfully exported and imported. You must pay immediately even if you want to export the lot and require an export permit or license to do so. Failure to obtain all of the required permits shall not invalidate the transaction. CONDITIONS OF SALE 1. Each lot sold at Live Auction is subject to a Buyer’s Premium of 22% of the successful bid price (“hammer price”) of each lot as part of the purchase price. 2. Unless exempted by law, the buyer is required to pay 13% HST (Harmonized Sales Tax) on the hammer price and buyer's premium, except for purchases directly exported from Canada. In the case where Canadian purchases are shipped out of the province of Ontario, the HST or GST is charged based on the tax status of that province or territory. 3. First Arts Premiers Inc. reserves the right, at our complete discretion, to withdraw any lot from the sale, whether prior to or during the auction, without notice and shall have no liability whatsoever with regard to such withdrawal. 4. First Arts Premiers Inc. reserves the right to refuse to recognize any or all bids from any particular person or persons at any auction. 5. All lots are subject to an unpublished reserve that may be changed at any time by agreement between the auctioneer and the consignor. 6. The highest bid will be the successful bidder when the lot closes, unless First Arts Premiers Inc. decides to use its discretion as set out above. This means a contract for sale has been formed between the seller and the successful bidder. We do not accept responsibility for notifying you of the result of your bids unless you are successful, and you should check as soon as possible after the sale to get details of the outcome of your bid. 7. Immediately after the purchase of a lot, the buyer shall pay or undertake to the satisfaction of the auctioneer with respect to payment of the whole or any part of the purchase price requested by the auctioneer, failing which the auctioneer in his sole discretion may cancel the sale, with or without re-offering the item for sale. You must pay for a lot in the currency of the sale. 8. You will not own the lot and ownership of the lot will not pass to you until: (i) We have confirmed that you have met all bidder identification and registration procedures; and (ii) We have received full, clear and unequivocal payment of all amounts due, even in circumstances where we have released the lot to you. 9. Transferring risk to you: (a) The risk in and responsibility for the lot will transfer to you from whichever is the earlier of the following: (i) When the lot comes into your physical possession or that of any person or carrier you authorise to take possession of the lot; or (ii) When you collect the lot if collection is permitted. (b) The lot is at your risk if you choose to exercise any right you may have to cancel the contract for the purchase of the lot. You are responsible for insuring the lot against loss or damage until it is returned to us. 10. 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Condition reports are provided free of charge as a courtesy to our buyers and are for guidance only. They offer our opinion but they may not refer to all faults, inherent defects, restoration, alteration, or adaptation because our staff members are not professional restorers or conservators. For that reason, they are not an alternative to taking your own professional advice. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have requested, received and considered any condition report. 11. The purchase price is the total of the following amounts: (i) The hammer price and the buyer’s premium; (ii) Unless exempted by law, the buyer is required to pay 13% HST (Harmonized Sales Tax) on the hammer price and buyer's premium, except for purchases directly exported from Canada. In the case where Canadian purchases are shipped out of the province of Ontario, the HST or GST is charged based on the tax status of that province or territory. You must pay for a Lot in the currency of the sale. Please contact First Arts Premiers Inc. for any questions relating to payments. COPYRIGHT / INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY First Arts Premiers Inc. holds the copyright to all published materials or parts thereof (catalogues, brochures, website, and advertisements) produced by or for us, relating to any auction, exhibition, or online publication. This intellectual property belongs to First Arts and cannot be used without our prior written permission. Copyright for individual works of art published by First Arts belongs to the respective artists or their estates; similarly, images of these artworks belong to our photographers. While we will make reasonable efforts to assist you in obtaining these rights, we do not offer any guarantee that you will gain any copyright or other reproduction rights to the art works or images. All works or images for which we do grant you permission to use must include all appropriate credit lines. Furthermore, we reserve the right to specify the format, quality and resolution of any photographic reproductions for which we grant approval. Copyright also applies to any excerpts or translations of First Arts texts that we may approve. Furthermore, if we have approved in principle an excerpt or translation, the original version in English will be used in deciding any issues or disputes that may arise with regard to the accuracy of any translation. WAIVER No failure or delay to exercise any right or remedy provided under these Terms and Conditions of Sale shall constitute a waiver of that or any other right or remedy, nor shall it prevent or restrict the further exercise of that or any other right or remedy. No single or partial exercise of such right or remedy shall prevent or restrict the further exercise of that or any other right or remedy. GLOSSARY As Is First Arts Premiers Inc. offers all property “as is,” meaning that the property is sold with any possible existing faults or imperfections. Condition reports will be provided as a courtesy and First Arts will endeavour to disclose any flaws, damage or repairs which are immediately apparent, but First Arts cannot be held responsible for any inherent flaws or previous repairs which are not visible. The Auctioneer The auctioneer is First Arts Premiers Inc., or an affiliated entity. Registered Bidder A Registered Bidder is a bidder who has fully completed the registration process, provided the required information to the Auction House and has been assigned a unique paddle number for the purpose of bidding on Lots in a live or online auction. Bid The amount a prospective buyer or their agent signals the auctioneer that the buyer would pay to purchase the lot during bidding. Lot An item or items to be offered for sale at an auction. Hammer Price The Hammer Price is the price at which the Auctioneer has sold the Lot to the Buyer, net of any prevailing Buyer’s Premium and any applicable taxes. Buyer’s Premium The Buyer’s Premium is the additional amount paid by the Buyer to First Arts Premiers Inc. on the purchase of a Lot. It is calculated on the Hammer Price at a rate of 22% for Live Auctions and 27% for Online-Only Auctions. Consignor (Seller) The Consignor is the person or entity named in the Consignment Agreement as the source from which the Property or Lot has been received for auction. Live and Online Auctions These Terms and Conditions of Business apply to all Live and Online auction sales conducted by the Auction House. For the purposes of online auctions, all references to the Auctioneer shall mean the Auction House. Reserve The confidential minimum price for the sale of the Lot, agreed to between the Consignor and the Auction House. Sales Tax The Federal and Provincial sales and excise taxes applicable in the jurisdiction of sale of the Lot. Unless exempted by law, the buyer is required to pay the prevailing HST (Harmonized Sales Tax) rate for the province of Ontario on the hammer price and buyer's premium. Lots professionally shipped out of the province of Ontario are subject to GST or the prevailing HST rates per province or territory. Purchases being exported from Canada are exempt from Canadian taxes but the Buyer is responsible for any import taxes or duties that may be incurred upon import. Contract of Sale Contract of Sale Includes an agreement to sell as well as sale.
Your bid must adhere to the bid increment schedule.
Bid Amount Bid Increment
0.00 - 200.00 10.00 CAD
200.01 - 500.00 20.00 CAD
500.01 - 1,000.00 50.00 CAD
1,000.01 - 2,000.00 100.00 CAD
2,000.01 - 5,000.00 200.00 CAD
5,000.01 - 10,000.00 500.00 CAD
10,000.01 - 20,000.00 1,000.00 CAD
20,000.01 - 50,000.00 2,000.00 CAD
50,000.01 - 100,000.00 5,000.00 CAD
100,000.01 - 200,000.00 10,000.00 CAD
200,000.01 - 500,000.00 20,000.00 CAD
500,000.01 - 1,000,000.00 50,000.00 CAD
1,000,000.01 - 9,999,999.99 500,000.00 CAD
Currency CAD
Buyer Premium 22% Buyer's Premium
Payment Terms
Immediately after the purchase of a lot, the buyer shall pay or underatake to the satisfaction of the auctioneer with respect to payment of the whole or any part of the purchase price requested by the auctioneer, failing which the auctioneer in his sole discretion may cancel the sale, with or without re-offering the item for sale. You must pay for a lot in the currency of the sale.
It is the responsibility of the buyer to make all arrangements for packing, insurance, and removing the property purchased. Any assistance by the auctioneer, his agents or contractors in packing or removal shall be rendered as a courtesy and without any liability to them. First Arts Premiers Inc. will not undertake packing or shipping of lots purchased at auction. The purchaser must designate and arrange for the services of an independent shipper and be responsible for all shipping and insurance expenses. First Arts Premiers Inc. will, upon request, provide names of professional packers and shippers but will not be held responsible for the service or have any liability for providing this information. Reliable pre-auction estimates of shipping costs of lots offered in this sale may be obtained from: PakShip 905-470-6874 inquiry@pakship.caLocation