In this carving, our favourite artist, Ohito Ashoona, has depicted a shaman riding a polar bear, a feat that would be immensely perilous if it were not for the shaman's magical connection to the natural world. The calm expression on the faces of the shaman and bear gives the carving a quiet, peaceful feeling; bear and rider seem to be united by some unspoken wisdom. There is a mutual respect between the two figures: respect for the bear's vast strength and dignified prowess, and furthermore, respect for the shaman's deep mystical intelligence and power.Ohito has very strong ties with the shamanic theme. His own grandfather was a shaman, and Ohito always looked up to him. He wanted to be a shaman too, but at an early age he realized, much to his chagrin, that he could not summon magical powers to work for him. Alas, it was not meant to be. However, his interest in shamanism and mythology is visible in his sculpture, especially in the work he has done upon entering his fifties. The sculpture is carved from a solid piece of dark green serpentine, its beauty enhanced by natural marbling and a beautiful high polish. |
