The North Pole 2009

The Arts in this environment above 89° North is about survival first.  Every detail and action must be considered to avoid letting the cold take grip on ones ability.  Awareness of the ice is paramount as cracks can appear anytime, and weather is also extreme.
On top of the world, the light is now continuous and the sun circumnavigates our actions, emitting polar optical effects, as we make our way through endless shapes, texture and colour.
Such reward it is to set up camp and feel the warm stove and feel reverence to what is often taken for granted.  Then is time for reflection and creation of paintings.  I let the washes of paint freeze and hope to bring back to share these raw paintings that are marked by the arctic air.

Many thanks to Victor Boyarsky, director of the Agency "VICAAR", (www.northpolextreme.com/iindex.html ) and my partner, Daisy Gilardini, (www.daisygilardini.com ) for having me as an assistant on this photo-video assignment to record the science, adventure ski trips, and re-supply missions to some of the incredible polar projects that are in progress near the Barneo ice camp.