the collection
This series of paintings, marking the100th anniversary of Robert Falcon Scott's fated journey to the South Pole, reflect my deep concern about the melting of the continent. I have been captivated by images and stories from Antarctica, such as the photographs taken by my late friend Graeme Keall, who visited the Antarctic in 2005. Of the dozen paintings, the first few are from photographs while later paintings are imagined scenes. Enquiries about display and/or purchase should be made to [email protected].
One of the first in the collection, Toward Oblivion (above), was painted after watching a DVD of the Antarctic. The first slideshow below shows the early paintings, which are all oils.
The group of paintings in the next slideshow are those painted from my imagination. These are acrylics.
The Weddell Sea:“The Weddell Sea is known as an iceberg factory. Huge structures, generated by The Larsen, Ronne and Filchner ice shelves calve off and float through the water, which has traditionally made navigation difficult here. At least half a dozen ships, including Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance, were crushed and sunk in these waters.”
The Weddell Sea:“The Weddell Sea is known as an iceberg factory. Huge structures, generated by The Larsen, Ronne and Filchner ice shelves calve off and float through the water, which has traditionally made navigation difficult here. At least half a dozen ships, including Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance, were crushed and sunk in these waters.”
Flowers For the Lost Ones (below) was painted with strong feelings at the inadequate apology made on the 30th anniversary of the Erebus disaster in 2009. I had also just learned that 24 Japanese people had been among the passengers who died that day, which inspired me to use Japanese washi (torn paper)--for example the red poppy, which is 24 layers of paper, forming a strong relief in this richly textured painting.
As the series goes on, the images become more abstract. In Penguin's Song (below) the emblem of the violin becomes a cry on behalf of the penguins.
In 2016 I added three final pieces: You've messed up our place, Wild Destruction and The Annihilation of Antarctica (below).
Ice Break a step into the Unknown (see next picture, Dramatic Crash)
Caroline Berdon, N.Z. Herald Friday July 14 2017 A 23 “The main concern is global warming impacts will cause Antarctic ice shelves and glaciers to collapse into the oceans, something that’s been happening in the Arctic for some time. Evidence of global warming is less obvious in the Antarctic. But scientists say it’s already happening and the effects worldwide could be catostrophic. If the Greenland ice sheet melted, scientists estimate that sea levels would rise by 7.8m. If the Antarctic ice sheet melted, sea levels would rise by 58m. And consider this: 700 million of the world’s population live within 10 meters above sea level – including those on vulnerable Pacific Islands. As I studied the crevasses and cracks in the ice shelf, dark waves crashed against the brilliant blue hue of ice on the waterline. Suddenly a chunk of ice broke off from the shelf and collapsed into the ocean with a roar that stunned us. It was mind-blowing and deafening and petrifying. And I wished the rest of the world could hear it. – Reuters, AAP” Dramatic Crash Below next |
Auckland Seascape Coming Soon
www.southpolestation.com Page 1 – Introduction. On the morning of 28 November 1979, Air New Zealand Flight TE901 left Mangere airport, Auckland, for an 11-hour return sightseeing flight to Antarctica. At 12.49 p.m. (NZST), the aircraft crashedinto the lower slopes of Mt Erebus killing all 237 passengers and 20 crew on board.Erebus disaster - Erebus disaster | NZHistory, New Zealand history ... https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/erebus-disaster |