High Play
The stonecut print "High Play" depicts three types of traditional endurance and strength games played in the Arctic.
By University of Alberta Museums
Jessie Oonark, OC, RCA
High Play (c. 1972) by Jessie OonarkUniversity of Alberta Museums
A celebrated artist in her time, Jessie Oonark captured the traditions, stories, and practices of Inuit life in her work. In the stonecut print, High Play depicts three types of traditional endurance and strength games played in the Arctic.
As shown in the print, some of these games involve either pulling or holding onto a partner. Moreover, many of these games were not only for sport, but also for “preparation for life and survival on both physical and psychic levels.”
Oonark’s graphic representation of traditional games is also part documentary in nature as it recorded memories of traditional life, which provided her with an abundance of inspiration throughout her career.
In 1975, Oonark was elected to the Royal Academy of Arts and was named Officer to the Order of Canada in 1984 for her exemplary contributions on Inuit culture. Oonark has influenced generations of Inuit artists and was also widely acknowledged for her textiles and drawings.
George Swinton, “Skill, Humour and Celebration: An Introduction,” Inuit Games and Contests: The Clifford E. Lee Collection of Prints. Edmonton: University of Alberta Museums, 1978, 8.
K.J. Butler, “Jessie Oonark,” The Canadian Encyclopedia, https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/jessie-oonark, accessed 2 March 2022.
Sarah Milroy, “Flashback: Jessie Oonark,” Inuit Art Quarterly, https://www.inuitartfoundation.org/iaq-online/30-3-flashback-jessie-oonark, accessed 1 March 2022.
