Antarctic Ice Memory – 2018-19

Straddling the realms of science and art, Antarctic Ice Memory is a project responding to our climate emergency and the research of Australian scientists carrying out ice core extraction from Antarctica. Ice cores are embedded with information akin to ancient scrolls, providing an understanding of anthropogenic changes to the earth over thousands of years. Porcelain columns, interspersed with crystal glass, represent actual ice cores extruded from Law Dome in Antarctica. Glazed surfaces describe the horizontal striations visible in ice cores created by layers of annual snowfall that provide accurate ice dating and generate research. Air bubbles captured within the glass refer to air pockets in real cores that provide evidence of carbon dioxide.

Multi-coloured glazes capture the hues, tones, shades of glaciers and atmospheric effects of the Aurora Australis. This project aims to enable an awareness of the distinctive value of Antarctica while voicing the issues of an increasingly threatened global environment.