A remarkable substance, ice offers endless possibilities for creativity both around the context of its existence and within material expression.
It is a rare phenomenon amongst physical matter; this solid form of water is less dense than it’s liquid form and thus floats on its own liquid. Consequently, the buoyancy of colossal ice-bergs makes them appear to defy gravity by sitting atop the surrounding sea. Commanding the utmost respect when encountered, these monumental floating entities cannot fail to engender awe.
Its truly amazing characteristics make ice fragile yet strong, rigid yet plastic. It can shatter like glass and carve through rock, be completely static and flow like a river.
Ice enables us to live on earth. It regulates our planet’s temperature and supports ecosystems. Sea ice and ice caps are the mirrors of our world, crucial to deflecting excessive heat back into space to maintain human-friendly temperatures, globally. Glaciers are a water lifeline to millions and a connection to pre-history. Ancient gasses, particulates and pollen are encased within, forming time capsules of our climate record which can be analysed and read to predict the future probabilities of our climatic predicament.
Tabular berg off South Orkney Islands
Ice arch in Andvord Bay, Antarctic Peninsula
