Description
The eyes have it! Lovely little Owlet by Joanasie Manning from Kinngait – Cape Dorset.
This adorable little owlet seems to be anxiously peeking at the world at large, but seems to especially focussed on you! A great little gem from a great carver. This carving has come to us from a private collector who spend many years in Cape Dorset.
Joanasie Manning is a carver from an artistic family, born in Kinngait, NU, where he continues to reside. Manning is inspired by the work of his grandfather, Osuitok Ipeelee (1922-2005), RCA, who also taught him to carve. Manning’s mother is textile and jewellery artist Annie Manning (1943-).
Manning works with a combination of hand and power tools, primarily in local serpentine stone and antler. His approach to the stone takes into account its striations, an effect for texture and plumage for his work. An artist by occupation since 1987, Manning has been developing his owl series, carved in small groupings, with hatchlings or owls joyously balancing on one foot. Manning’s style is characterized by angular forms, and his owls have wide, luminous eyes of inset bone that gaze every direction. Manning’s consideration of positive and negative space works together with the physical and visual weight of stone. His depictions of owls and hatchlings gathered together juxtaposes the physical weight of stone with the idea of real birds and the impression of lightness.
Biography Joanasie Manning
JOANNASIE MANNING (MANUMIKALAK; KOOYOO)
Date of Birth: June 6, 1967
Place of Birth: Cape Dorset
Mother: Annie Manning
Father: Munumeekalak
Male/Female: Male
Joannasie was born in Cape Dorset and has lived there all his life. His mother, Annie Manning has worked in the North and in the South as a translator for English and Inuktitut. She is also well-versed in the art of sewing and doll-making. Joannasie’s grandfather, Osuitok Ipeelee of Cape Dorset is a well- known carver.
EXHIBITIONS:
December 1995 – January 1996
Inuit Art: from the collection of MauriceYacowar Collector’s Gallery
Calgary, Alberta
February – April 1997
Stone & Bone
The Inuit Master Carvers of the Canadian Arctic The North West Company
Held at the Sun Valley Center for the Arts and Humanities
Ketchum, Idaho, U.S.A.
March – April 1997
Major/Minor
Marion Scott Gallery Vancouver, British Columbia
November 1998
Sculpture from the Canadian Arctic Feheley Fine Arts
Toronto, Ontario
October 2000
Seven Emerging Artists from Cape Dorset Inuit Gallery of Vancouver
Vancouver, British Columbia
(brochure)
November – December 2000
Small Sculptures by Great Artists 2000
Feheley Fine Arts Toronto, Ontario
(illustrated brochure)
May – June 2001
Baffin Island Sculpture
The Albers Gallery of Inuit Art
San Francisco, California, U.S.A. (illustrated catalogue)
November
Small Sculptures by Great Artists 2000 Feheley Fine Arts
Toronto, Ontario
March – April 2002
Joannasie Manning – Napatchie Sharky The Albers Gallery of Inuit Art
San Francisco, California, U.S.A.
(catalogue)
2004
Masterworks III Canadian Arctic Gallery Basel, Switzerland
Spring 2005
Cape Dorset Sculpture Spirit Wrestler Gallery Vancouver, British Columbia
(illustrated catalogue)
May – June 2006
Three Generations: Cape Dorset Sculpture Gallery Indigena
Stratford, Ontario
March 2005
Momentum
7 Emerging Artists from Cape Dorset Inuit Gallery of Vancouver Vancouver, British Columbia
2006
Rhythms in Motion Galerie d’art Vincent Ottawa, Ontario
(illustrated catalogue)
October 2007
Masterworks VI Canadian Arctic Gallery Basel, Switzerland
April – May, 2008
Arctic Wind – An Expression of Naturalism Coastal Peoples Fine Arts Gallery Vancouver, British Columbia
January – February, 2009
Small Treasures
Inuit Gallery of Vancouver Vancouver, British Columbia
December, 2009
Small Sculptures by Great Artists Feheley Fine Arts
Toronto, Ontario
(illustrated brochure)
October, 2010
Arctic Wind III: An Expression of Survival Coastal Peoples Gallery
Vancouver, British Columbia
(illustrated brochure)
December, 2010
Small Sculptures by Great Artists Feheley Fine Arts
Toronto, Ontario
(illustrated catalogue)
April, 2011
Flight Across the Tundra Balzac Fine Arts Toronto, Ontario
May – June, 2011
Birds
Canadian Arctic Gallery Basel, Switzerland
June – July, 2011
New Beginnings in the Arctic Balzac Fine Arts
Toronto, Ontario
COLLECTIONS:
Musee d’art Inuit Brousseau, Quebec City, Quebec
