Jim Fred – Very Unusual Carving from the 1982

Jim Fred was one of the most accomplished katsina carvers from the 1980s. He was in the vanguard of the shift to Ultra-Realism. This carving is one I’ve not seen before. On the base is written, “Qalavi Initiation Ceremony.” I don’t know anything about this ceremony as I’m not supposed to. The carving is quite large at 14″ tall including the base, which is carved to represent a sandstone floor. The base is 5 1/2″ wide. The smaller figure is 9″ tall with arms upraised.