#68 • Kwakwaka'wakw Moon Mask - Calvin Hunt

Part of June 2026 Premier Auction (live auction by Alaska Premier Auctions & Appraisals)

High bid $2,100.00

Status: Sold

Category: Ethnographic Objects

A Kwakwaka'wakw Moon mask by master carver Calvin Hunt (b. 1956), signed en verso and dated 1976. Executed early in the artist's distinguished career, the mask is boldly carved and painted in a striking teal, black, red, and natural wood formline palette that exemplifies the clarity, balance, and disciplined design for which Hunt's work is celebrated. The expressive face is framed by a broad circular surround suggestive of the lunar disc, while riveted copper-tone plates and raised eyebrows provide both visual contrast and sculptural depth, creating a composition of remarkable presence despite its restrained scale. Calvin Hunt is one of the foremost contemporary Kwakwaka'wakw artists and hereditary chief of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation. Apprenticed to his father-in-law, the legendary Tony Hunt Sr., he has spent decades preserving and advancing Northwest Coast carving traditions through masks, poles, architectural commissions, and ceremonial works. A member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, Hunt's carvings are represented in major public and private collections and are widely recognized for their exceptional craftsmanship and fidelity to traditional Kwakwaka'wakw formline design. The present example is particularly notable as an early signed work dating to 1976, displaying the confident carving, harmonious proportions, and refined painted surfaces that have established Hunt as one of the leading figures in contemporary Northwest Coast art. Measures approximately 12.5" x 5" x 13.5" tall. Provenance: Consigned directly by the Bruce Beasley Foundation, established by internationally acclaimed American sculptor Bruce Beasley (b. 1939), whose works are represented in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and numerous other institutions worldwide. The Foundation is dedicated to advancing the appreciation and study of sculpture and three-dimensional art. 100% of the net proceeds from the sale of this lot will be donated to the Kwakwaka'wakw First Nations Primary Care Centre, supporting healthcare and community wellness initiatives for Kwakwaka'wakw communities.