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Flying to Sky Blu, 2002, aquacryl, gouache on paper (67cm x 101cm) by Philip Hughes www.philiphughesart.com Emperor penguin, furthers east, Jan 31, 1902. Watercolour on paper by Edward Wilson © Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, UK / Bridgeman Images 44 Resurgence & Ecologist imagining and representing Antarctica to international audiences. Similar programmes of support have been developed in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. With each generation of artists whose work is inspired by the Antarctic, there has been an ever-widening pool of interpretation, including sculpture, theatre, ceramics, video installation, jewellery and costume design. Clearly and overwhelmingly in those objects, it is shown that the Antarctic can never again be regarded simply as a place only for science. The American painter Alan Campbell is among those artists helped by the NSF to develop a personal response to Antarctica’s hypnotising presence. Whether expressed in Campbell’s fascination with Shackleton’s hut at Cape Royds, or in any other of his works, the experience of visiting Antarctica ultimately remains too overwhelming for a single journey there to encompass. Return expeditions are essential. Campbell has made the journey four times. An ability to cross between science and the arts helps. Philip Hughes originally trained as an engineer and scientist before eventually finding consolation in expressing his response to Antarctica through landscape painting. His ‘Flying to SkyBlu’ (2002) was often mentioned in the interviews I had with Antarctic travellers. John Kelly also began his journey toward Antarctic humanities as a scientist – in geology and geography. However, with works such as ‘Southern Forensics’ – composed of found objects such as ice-smoothed stones, penguin feathers and broken bird eggs, and January/February 2019
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Blue Ice, Rothera 2003, acrylic on canvas (80cm x 80cm) by Philip Hughes sketches – Kelly ranks among those artists who have expanded our possibilities of responding to Antarctica. At a time when many travellers are frustrated by the homogeneous nature of other destinations, artists and writers who are inspired by Antarctica are helping to kindle a burning desire to explore and experience this most tantalising of continents. And yet, despite all the wealth of writing and visual representation, Antarctica will always remain a strange place. It is the land around which the rest of the world pivots. It is even true that Antarctica still fails to sometimes appear on world maps. The South Pole itself would simply be an invisible spot on a featureless ice plateau, were it not for the crescent of twelve national flags and the lollipop pole to mark the spot for successful adventurers. Antarctica will never again be outside our experience. Rather, it will forever beguile us. Adrian Cooper was elected a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society in September 1999. He has worked as a consultant to the BBC Natural History Unit and as a writer and presenter for the BBC World Service. He was an Associate Research Fellow in the Department of Geography, Birkbeck College, London University from 1992 to 2013. Issue 312 Resurgence & Ecologist 45

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Flying to Sky Blu, 2002, aquacryl, gouache on paper (67cm x 101cm) by Philip Hughes www.philiphughesart.com

Emperor penguin, furthers east, Jan 31, 1902. Watercolour on paper by Edward Wilson

© Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, UK / Bridgeman Images

44

Resurgence & Ecologist imagining and representing Antarctica to international audiences. Similar programmes of support have been developed in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. With each generation of artists whose work is inspired by the Antarctic, there has been an ever-widening pool of interpretation, including sculpture, theatre, ceramics, video installation, jewellery and costume design. Clearly and overwhelmingly in those objects, it is shown that the Antarctic can never again be regarded simply as a place only for science.

The American painter Alan Campbell is among those artists helped by the NSF to develop a personal response to Antarctica’s hypnotising presence. Whether expressed in Campbell’s fascination with Shackleton’s hut at Cape Royds, or in any other of his works, the experience of visiting Antarctica ultimately remains too overwhelming for a single journey there to encompass. Return expeditions are essential. Campbell has made the journey four times. An ability to cross between science and the arts helps.

Philip Hughes originally trained as an engineer and scientist before eventually finding consolation in expressing his response to Antarctica through landscape painting. His ‘Flying to SkyBlu’ (2002) was often mentioned in the interviews I had with Antarctic travellers.

John Kelly also began his journey toward Antarctic humanities as a scientist – in geology and geography. However, with works such as ‘Southern Forensics’ – composed of found objects such as ice-smoothed stones, penguin feathers and broken bird eggs, and

January/February 2019

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