Description:

A captivating and fluid serpentine stone sculpture titled Sea Goddess by master Inuit artist Alex Alikashuak (1941–2019) of Whale Cove, Nunavut, carved in 1999 and accompanied by its original Government of Canada Certified Authenticity tag. This superb example of Alikashuak’s mature style represents a pinnacle of late-20th-century Inuit abstraction, harmoniously merging mythic narrative and modern sculptural form.

Rendered in deep grey serpentine, a highly sought-after stone prized for its fine-grained texture and lustrous polish, this openwork composition demonstrates Alikashuak’s remarkable command of material and space. The sculpture flows in sinuous, undulating curves, its pierced negative spaces evoking the motion of waves and the ethereal presence of the Sea Goddess (Sedna) - a central deity in Inuit cosmology who governs the marine animals and embodies the spirit of the northern ocean. Each angle reveals new rhythms of mass and void, the sculpted planes capturing light with a tactile vitality that makes the figure appear to breathe with the energy of the sea itself.

This work stands at 11 inches tall by 11 inches wide and 2 inches deep, perfectly balanced for display in a refined gallery or private collection setting. The piece exemplifies the artist’s evolution from representational carving toward modernist biomorphism, aligning his vision with contemporaries such as Henry Moore or Barbara Hepworth, while remaining deeply rooted in Inuit storytelling and spirituality.

The Sea Goddess is signed through provenance on its official certificate, reading:
Artist: Alex Alikashuak
Community: Whale Cove, Nunavut
Title: Sea Goddess
Date: 1999

Condition is excellent, with only the most minor natural inclusions and light handling marks consistent with the artist’s stone medium. The sculpture retains its original fine polish and superb sculptural integrity.

Alex Alikashuak’s works are held in major museum collections including the Winnipeg Art Gallery, the Canadian Museum of History, and numerous international private collections. This piece exemplifies his unique approach to abstraction within the context of Inuit art, bridging cultural tradition and universal sculptural language.

A rare and exceptional opportunity to acquire an authenticated Inuit modernist masterpiece, Sea Goddess is both a spiritually charged work of Indigenous art and a museum-quality statement of form, balance, and mythic depth.
AA67

  • Medium: Sculptures Inuit

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November 16, 2025 11:00 AM EST
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