Brian Kowikchuk
Brian Kowikchuk is Inuvialuk with roots in Inuuvik and Tuqtuuyaqtuq. He currently lives in Inuuvik. Growing up watching his mother, Mavis, draw flowers, Brian was always inspired to create art. Although he now prefers to work in acrylics and digital media, Brian began to explore art in high school by sketching portraits. He has also worked in charcoal, oil paints, and water colour.
Known for his expressive and vibrant colour palette, Brian's practice centres landscapes, inuksuit, full moons, and birds, especially ravens and owls.
An arts advocate as well as an artist, Brian is building community resiliency through arts programming, including teaching art classes and facilitating community mural making.
For Brian, an intergenerational Survivor of residential school, art is a medium for truth seeking, reclamation, healing, and community building.
Brian was one of two NWT artists selected for the Aejlies Indigenous Arctic Art Residency in Tärnaby, Sweden, in 2026.
Known for his expressive and vibrant colour palette, Brian's practice centres landscapes, inuksuit, full moons, and birds, especially ravens and owls.
An arts advocate as well as an artist, Brian is building community resiliency through arts programming, including teaching art classes and facilitating community mural making.
For Brian, an intergenerational Survivor of residential school, art is a medium for truth seeking, reclamation, healing, and community building.
Brian was one of two NWT artists selected for the Aejlies Indigenous Arctic Art Residency in Tärnaby, Sweden, in 2026.
Spiritual Memory, 2026
Digital art printed on 6mm acrylic substrate
Spiritual Memory was inspired by the late Agnes Kuptana's story. I created a snowflake shaped in memory with uluit to show how spirit has muscle memory and so does our culture.
Unravelling the realities of how frequency and energy change the shape of snowflakes and how water reacts to it. Bringing to light how spirit and culture have muscle memory and that even through hardship, we can bring ourselves back to form.
I used ulu shapes to represent our cultural return. The northern lights are our ancestors celebrating us.
Even in storm, we return.
Photo of art by Jonny Vu
Digital art printed on 6mm acrylic substrate
Spiritual Memory was inspired by the late Agnes Kuptana's story. I created a snowflake shaped in memory with uluit to show how spirit has muscle memory and so does our culture.
Unravelling the realities of how frequency and energy change the shape of snowflakes and how water reacts to it. Bringing to light how spirit and culture have muscle memory and that even through hardship, we can bring ourselves back to form.
I used ulu shapes to represent our cultural return. The northern lights are our ancestors celebrating us.
Even in storm, we return.
Photo of art by Jonny Vu