Photos by John Adrian
Currently on display at the National Maritime Museum is a
collaboration between United Visual Artists (UVA) and Cape Farewell, an
installation High Arctic. This is an exhibition with no
touchscreens, no static photographs, and no panels with text: instead
High Arctic is an immersive, responsive environment. As you approach the
entrance you are given an ultraviolet torch, met by darkness and an
overwhelming array of columns of varying height occupying the space.
Ultraviolet torches unlock hidden elements whilst constantly shifting
patterns of interactive projections react to visitors approaching. As
you “embark on this journey†of discovery, Max Eastley and Henrik
Ekeusâ€TMs generative soundscape flow through the gallery, weaving in the
voices of arctic explorers across the centuries…
The project began in 2010 when UVAâ€TMs Matt Clark travelled with the arts and climate science foundation Cape Farewell to the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, which lies between mainland Norway and the North Pole. Sailing aboard The Noorderlicht,
a 100-year old Dutch schooner, Mattâ€TMs trip brought him into contact
with scientists, poets, musicians and polar bears. He saw vast tundra,
monochromatic rainbows and huge chunks of ice falling from calving
glaciers. He saw vast tundra, monochromatic rainbows and huge chunks of
ice falling from calving glaciers. Conceived as a response to the
expedition, High Arctic uses a combination of sound, light and
sculptural forms to create an abstracted arctic landscape for visitors
to explore.
