Arctic Loons

Loons, with their distinctive black and white plumage and haunting cry, feature prominently in Northern folklore.  In the legend of Lumaaq, it is the loons who watched over the blind boy, and who ultimately restored his sight. In another legend, the loons train an apparently lazy boy to acquire great strength and skills and to take over his grandfather's task of holding up the world.

We have assembled a set of eight loons for your holiday enjoyment. 

They range from Davidialuk Alashuak Ammitu's sophisticated interplay of textures to the elegance of Sheokjuk Oqutaq's swimming loon. The exhibition includes examples of two classics:  Mikisiti Saila's abstract swimming loon and Etulu Etidloie's beautifully detailed loon shaking its wings.  Melia Padluq and Isaac Panigayak offer quiet loons, one preening and one guarding its nest.  Isaacie Etidloie contributes a shaman loon, clutching its helping spirit between his feet.  And Pitaloosie Saila offers a blazing loon at sunrise.