|
Stella Polaris* Ulloriarsuaq – The Shining Memory of Mother Earth
*(Latin/Eskimo def: polar star = guiding star)
Stella Polaris* Ulloriarsuaq is a visionary photographic art project that has been
captivating audiences worldwide for a decade. Led by the renowned photographer
Nomi Baumgartl, this international art endeavor delves into the heart of Greenland's
icy expanse, capturing its ethereal beauty and alarming fragility.
Through breathtaking photography and film realized 2012-2013, Stella Polaris*
Ulloriarsuaq documents the vanishing ice of Greenland, offering a poignant reflection
on our collective environmental consciousness. Nomi Baumgartl and her team,
including esteemed photographer Sven Nieder, filmmaker Yatri N. Niehaus and
Greenlandic coordinator Laali Lyberth, navigate the frozen terrain under conditions
that bring humans and equipment to their limit.
Together with local Greenlanders, so called light ambassadors, the team literally
“photo-graphed.” They “painted with light”—illuminating icebergs and glaciers with
high-powered flashlights—thereby sending light-messages into the world through the
medium of photography. Using time exposure against the backdrop of the aurora
borealis, these light-paintings are true works of art. As of 2014, the stunning visuals
and profound message of Stella Polaris* Ulloriarsuaq are now disseminated through
a compelling photographic compilation and international exhibitions.
The accompanying film has garnered acclaim, earning a coveted spot in the "Official
Selection Los Angeles Film Festival" in Summer 2017 and captivating audiences at
prestigious film festivals worldwide. Stella Polaris* Ulloriarsuaq transcends
boundaries, inviting viewers to contemplate the delicate balance of our planet's icy
realms and inspiring action towards environmental stewardship.
SVALBARD / Michael Nischke
Svalbard, previously known as Spitsbergen or Spitzbergen, is a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. It lies about midway between the northern coast of Norway and the North Pole. The largest island is Spitsbergen and the largest settlement Longyearbyen on the west coast of Spitsbergen. The German photographer Michael Nischke, who went to school in Norway, and his team visited Spitsbergen 2011. He could take his photos before the climate change leave traces. Already eleven years later the exceptionally warm air temperatures in summer 2022 have caused record melting across Svalbard. For the people living and working there, it means rosing environment risks. And loss of sea ice means polar bears are left hungrier and starting to push closer towards human settlements in search of food. Today Longyearbyen is not only the most northerly town in the world, but the fastest warming one as well. Studies suggests Svalbard is warming six times faster than the global average. Because of this facts this area offers climate researchers a preliminary look at what’s coming for the rest of the Arctic.
Michael Nischke used the Hasselblad X-Pan camera to capture the beauty of the landscape of Spitsbergen and some situations in Longyearbyen. The endless depth and breadth of the space challenges our way of seeing and can only be captured adequately with the panorama technique of this camera. Most photographers succumb to the colours of the glaciers, but for Michael Nischke the black-and-white presentation seems to be a very powerful alternative. For this he used B/W negative film. The arctic climate caused a very reduced use of the camera so that there are not a huge amount of negatives. The artist selected some of the most impressive motifs of this unique documents and present them for the first time outside of Germany.
Born in Berlin (Germany) in 1956, Michael Nischke studied photographic engineering in Cologne, and has since worked as a photographic designer and author, and started 2000 to work as a fine art photographer. To date, Nischke, who has been appointed a member of the German Photographic Society (DGPh), has published more than 50 volumes of photographs, a number of which have received several awards. His works were also shown in serveral exhibitions in Germany, Japan and Taiwan. The past last years he captured photos for a special series of unseen panoramic views of North Korea and Eritrea.
As board member and curator of the BLANK ART FOUNDATION – located in Munich - his focus is on art photography and video art.
|
