liquid landscapes/
the landscape that conforms to the pressure which surrounds it
Rewa’s adventurous past is frozen in time.
Images from her voyage to the Antarctic Peninsula 2008
What should be permanent has become ephemeral;
these icy landscapes will not be here forever.
Antarctica is one of the most isolated places on earth - it is otherworldly, and yet part of our home.
These photographs have documented something which will soon be extinct.
It is often thought of as pristine and untouched by human disturbance. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case. In a short time, most parts have been visited and more than just footprints have been left behind. We have driven some Antarctic species to the verge of extinction for economic benefit, and contaminated the soil, seas, and whole ecosystems. Our actions from all around the globe are influencing the stunning landscapes at the end of the earth. Attitudes are beginning to change as we realise the invaluable influence the clean air, water and ice of Antarctica have on the global environment.
“I hope to connect the viewer with this remote and fragile ecosystem, encouraging understanding and aesthetic appreciation of a landscape at risk.”
Rewa Rendall
Having the opportunity to be part of an explorative mission to the Antarctic Peninsula, Rewa Rendall, 32 at the time, captured the magic of this isolated, extraordinary place and brought it back for us in the form of panoramic photographs and 3D stereoscopic images. Her aim was to alert people to the inescapable beauty of the Antarctic and the necessity for action to preserve places we simply must keep intact.
Rewa had always been drawn to the extreme environments of the Antarctic, and her childhood dream finally came to a realisation when she joined the 2006 expedition aboard the Evohe, skippered by Steve Kafka. He had been sailing the Evohe for 20 years already and was a veteran Arctic and Antarctic sailor. The team was made up of 13 people, composed of crew, explorers, climbers, mountaineers and one artist. Having done some climbing and mountaineering in New Zealand already, Rewa had no problem keeping up with the expeditions on land, cameras in tow.
For six weeks, these 13 companions were confined to an 82 ft (approx. 25 m) steel ketch. Imagine a vessel the length of two coach busses, travelling high seas and reaching the tricky waters of strong icebergs.
The journey started on the 4th of February in Ushuaia. Sailing through the Beagle Channel and crossing the Drake Passage, the company made its way to the Antarctic Peninsula. On the 10th, the adventure really began when the ship docked at Port Lockroy and the crew finally set foot on ice. The weeks were full of adventure and exploration, climbing mountains, skiing down slopes and meeting all kinds of Antarctic creatures. It might sound like a fun vacation, but extreme environments such as the Antarctic will be unforgiving even to the most experienced. Nature is humbling; when left to her mercy we realise we have no control over our fates. We surrender completely, and recognise that we are but one small particle amid the vastness, amid the chaos. It is in those moments that we can truly connect to nature and feel that we are intertwined with it.
“You don’t notice it going but after time it disappears.”
REWA RENDALL
It is this mentality and emotion that lies behind the photographs before you. Rewa would meditatively await the perfect moment to capture, feeling one with the vastness before her. In order to fit this mentality with her photography, Rewa set aside the modern digital cameras and chose two analog cameras instead.
From a young age, Rewa was exposed to traditional film photography. Her father, David Epstein, would use the unique Hasselblad XPan to document his architectural work. Witnessing the magic of the photographs developing as a child, Rewa went on to study photography at the Canberra School of Art. Feeling that digital photography would not fit the theme of such a magical place like the Antarctic Peninsula, and having been trained in traditional film photography, Rewa chose two cameras to her on the expedition: the legendary Hasselblad XPan for panoramic shots and the Stereo Realist for 3D images. The twin lenses of the Stereo Realist, being at a pupillary distance, produce an image that draws you in and makes you feel as if you were there. Practically, both cameras were small and sturdy enough to complement the rigorous journey and cater to the alpinistic expeditions.
The Hasselblad managed to travel to space and performed under the extreme conditions of the lunar surface. It is only fitting that it would also travel to the most extreme environment we have on this planet, and capture the stunning, otherworldly landscapes of our icy continent.
Her choice of analog cameras changed the dynamic of the artwork as well. With only a handful of opportunities at her disposal, she would carefully choose each individual shot; patiently waiting for the perfect moment to capture, trusting it would come. The mindfulness and time sensitive aspects of the photographs aptly reflect the subject of the art in itself.
The images chosen for this exhibition represent the fragility of our planet. The untamed, raw power of nature can make us forget how vulnerable she is. These pictures have captured her stunning yet sensitive side. We have come to a tipping point, one there is no coming back. The landscapes shown in these images will soon be part of history.