Inuvialuk/Gwichin artist Darcie Ouiyaghasiak Bernhardt grew up in Tuktoyaktuk (NT), where strong ocean winds carve the Western Arctic landscape—an ecosystem that fosters transformation and nurtures strong family ties. Their work explores visual storytelling as tradition, birthright, and preservation of decolonial memory—constructing their role as a memory keeper. The ocean and waterways of the Arctic have been Darcie Bernhardt's snowy playground. Taking place in one of the most hostile environments on the planet, their work addresses both the harsh conditions and sweetness of the land. They find inspiration in the voices of the elders, flowers of the boreal environment, roots, and lichen that form the motifs of their work. Furthering their work on memory as a means of decolonial preservation, they open a place of reunion with one's roots and other Inuvialuit and Gwich'in artists. Their work explores how colonialism and the contemporary way of life have changed Inuit cultures. It continually challenges the representation and appropriation of northern cultures. As a keeper of memory, Darcie Ouiyaghasiak Bernhardt works to foster intergenerational connections.
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