Honouring First Nations Voices with Artist in Residence Bernie Harada
A powerful in-store installation celebrating connection to Country.
At NAGNATA, we believe our retail spaces are an extension of our values, creating a place where creativity, community and culture come together. As part of our ongoing partnership with The Returning, we are honoured to spotlight First Nations voices through art, culture and community.
This September welcome Japanese and Indigenous multidisciplinary artist Bernie Harada to our Byron Bay flagship store with an installation that celebrates ancestral fibre practices, cultural knowledge and the enduring craft of weaving.
Currently based on Bundjalung Country, Bernie Harada artistic practice encompasses weaving, woodworking, acrylic on canvas and music. Working across natural fibres and reclaimed materials, Bernie's practice reflects a quiet reverence for Country, inviting moments of reflection through objects made slowly and intentionally by hand.
Having learnt from weavers of many ancestries — including Worimi, Celtic and Bundjalung — Bernie continues to build an evolving artistic practice grounded in curiosity, cultural exchange and respect for traditional knowledge. Across weaving, carved timber and sculptural objects, Bernie's work celebrates patience, observation and material knowledge. Each piece speaks to a process of continual learning where natural fibres, reclaimed timber and handcrafted forms become expressions of memory, landscape and connection.
The installation also features a hand-dyed yukata created from repurposed cotton muslin in collaboration with Caity Perrin, reflecting Bernie's interest in reimagining traditional forms through contemporary practice.
Currently studying and exhibiting in Lismore, Bernie is also part of the 2026 cohort of the Bulaan Dalang Gala Naa Indigenous Artist Residency.
Presented throughout the Jonson Lane space, the installation invites you to reflect, listen and connect.
As part of our ongoing partnership with The Returning, we invite you to support their work in amplifying First Nations voices through art, cultural education, and community empowerment.
Donate directly here.