The next March 17th the ship Akkademik Ioffe will sail the Argentine port of Ushuaia to navigate the icy waters of the Antarctic. It might seem like another journey of a research trip anxious to unravel the secrets still hidden in the most inhospitable continent on Earth. Well, it is that and more. Actually, aboard this ship begins the voyage of the 1st Biennial of Art and of the Antarctica.
The beauty of Antarctica
On the way to Antarctica
The objective of this original cultural event is that about hundred artists, thinkers, scientists and “visionary” people embark on the ship, which will sail between the Antarctic ice for 11 days.
The port of Ushuaia is the starting point of the Biennial
During the itinerary, they will exchange views and reflections on Antarctica, its richness and its conservation, or what is the same thing saving the planet. And also a subject of discussion will be the capacity of that landscape to be a source of artistic inspiration. Because the creators embarked on this project will make their works of all kinds on board but especially at different scales to be made during navigation, and that will arrive to the South Shetland Islands.
The curator of the Biennale Antarctic
The great ideologue and curator of this ambitious project is Alexander Ponomarev, sailor and Russian artist. A character captivated by the charms of the Antarctic Ocean and landscapes of the frozen continent. Therefore, he wants to carry out this experience with the ambitious goal to create a space for discussion on Antarctica and in general on our planet now.
Alexander Ponomarev, alma mater of this artistic encounter
He thinks that this region today is the last “really free world” space. A place that has to be multinational, intercultural and multidisciplinary, the same characteristics as the whole group of people who have embarked on the Akkademik Ioffe.
The new explorers
Anyone who travels to Antarctica has something of the spirit of legendary explorers of yesteryear. Little by little they are establishing there scientific stations inquiring about all kinds of issues (climate, chemistry, resources of Antarctica, natural issues, etc…) and certainly they do so in conditions that join a lot of science, but also something adventurous.
There are different scientific stations settled in the South Shetland Islands
Well, during this Biennial one of the topics to be discussed will be the possible settlement of the continent in the near future. In fact, one of the most prominent figures among the expedition is the architect Hani Rashid, who has already said more than once that due to global warming, there will be the possibility to grow in Antarctica, and therefore be habitable, if well in new conditions.
The Art of the Antarctica Biennial
The artists who begin this adventure are from the rest of the continents among the globe, but surely, none knows what they are going to find in these landscapes beyond water, ice, penguins and other marine fauna. For that reason, it is difficult to advance which works and performances will result from this meeting.
Penguins are the first to enjoy the art of this Antarctica Biennial
The idea is to carry out their artistic performances at the various stops, documenting all in depth and then creating works that are part of traveling exhibitions that will reach to various museums and cities.
The Akkademik Ioffe plying Antarctic waters
These samples will be a way to continue to keep open the debate over Antarctica, on how to preserve it, what can offer or how can it inspire us for the future. Anyway, it is clear that one of the most important values of art is originality, and certainly, it is hard to imagine what will come out of this peculiar creative encounter between ice. It is sure that will be new and from Horse we will follow its track.
Translated by Raquel Sanchez
