This work was commissioned by the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival with support from the Rasmussen Foundation. It was inspired by the Yukon Quest dog sled race run every year between Whitehorse and Fairbanks. The Quest follows the energy, effort, and companionship of a team on the trail. The dogs are eager to get underway, barking and pulling at their harnesses. Once running, their excitement settles into the steady work of covering long distances through demanding terrain. The race also brings quieter moments. On cold nights, the sound of sled runners on snow accompanies the team beneath the aurora. These stretches of calm offer a different perspective on the journey, with time to notice the landscape and its deep winter stillness. Although rooted in a particular race, The Quest evokes connections extending around the circumpolar north. Across Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Siberia, Indigenous sled dog traditions reflect enduring relationships between people, animals, and place. Most importantly, both dogs and mushers share a boundless joy filled with motion, coldness, peace, trust, and open spaces.
