Karoo Ashevak, Mother and Child with Pulled Tooth, c. 1972. Whalebone, antler, grey stone, ivory, sinew, 50.9 × 40.7 × 33.6 cm. Gift of Samuel and Esther Sarick, 1996. © Public Trustee for Nunavut, Estate of Karoo Ashevak 96/745.
Located on the second floor in gallery 239, the Samuel & Esther Sarick Gallery.
Admission is always FREE for AGO Members, AGO Annual Pass Holders & Visitors 25 and under. Learn more.
Karoo Ashevak (1940–1974) was an artist who had an extraordinary creative vision. Rooted in both humour and unease, Ashevak’s whalebone sculptures were inspired by stories of shamans and spirits he learned during his childhood. His 1973 solo show in New York City was a critical success and cemented his reputation in modern art circles in both the United States and Canada. Ashevak began carving in 1970 but was only able to create art for four years: he and his family died tragically in a fire in 1974. This gallery shows all of the works by the artist held at the AGO. Shown together, they reveal Ashevak’s originality and his imaginative intensity.
