Mating Call by Wally Kakepetum

Print of "Mating Call" by Wally Kakepetum shows a bird calling with moon behind.1983. Signed lower right. 25.5 x 19.5. Wally Kakepetum is a First Nations artist from the Sandy Lake First Nation in northwestern Ontario, part of the prominent Kakepetum artistic dynasty that has contributed significantly to Indigenous Canadian art. He belongs to the Crane Clan, one of five traditional clans at Sandy Lake, an Oji-Cree community that became a center for Indigenous artistic development during the emergence of the Woodland School movement in the 1960s and 1970s. Kakepetum's artistic practice is rooted in his family's deep connections to the Woodland School tradition. His uncle, Carl Ray (1943-1978), was a founding member of the Indian Group of Seven and a pivotal figure in establishing the Woodland School style alongside Norval Morrisseau. Ray's influence on the Kakepetum family established an artistic foundation that would inspire multiple generations, including Wally and his siblings Lloyd, Abe, Eddie, and Morley, who all pursued careers in visual art. Working within the Woodland School aesthetic, Kakepetum's art follows the movement's characteristic approach of drawing from traditional Indigenous stories and spiritual beliefs. This style translates ancient visual storytelling methods from birchbark scrolls and petroglyphs into contemporary fine art, featuring vibrant colors outlined in bold black lines and subjects drawn from Oji-Cree cultural traditions. The Woodland School emerged as both an artistic movement and a form of cultural preservation, maintaining Indigenous knowledge systems while establishing new pathways for contemporary Indigenous artistic expression. Kakepetum's work has achieved institutional recognition, with pieces included in the RBC Convention Centre collection in Winnipeg as part of a 2016 donation of Indigenous artworks. This placement within institutional collections demonstrates his participation in the broader Indigenous cultural renaissance that began in the 1970s, when Indigenous artists successfully challenged Western art world assumptions and asserted their artistic sovereignty. Through his continuation of the Woodland School tradition, Kakepetum maintains the family's commitment to preserving Oji-Cree cultural stories and spiritual traditions through visual art.

Provenance: Not specified
Artist / Author: Wally Kakepetum
Date of Work: 1982
Signature location: Bottom Right
Origin of Work: Canada
Subject: Birds
Original Vendor/Source: Key
Details of damage: Paper ripling behind glass
Frame Style/Material: Glass/Metal
Frame dimensions: 26.250 x 20.250 x .750
Inner frame dimensions: Not specified
Artwork dimensions: 25.625 x 19.625