Art & Climate Change
Our first major touring exhibition created in partnership with the Natural History Museum
2003 Expedition
Cape Farewell’s first Arctic expedition – a voyage that took them from Tromsø to Spitsbergen via Bear Island.
28 May– 8 June 2003
Tromsø to Spitsbergen
Cape Farewell’s First Expedition
On May 28 through to June 8, 2003 a group of scientists, educators, artists, journalists, media experts, four crew and captain set sail aboard the Noorderlicht on a voyage from Tromsø to Spitsbergen via Bear Island.
The boat sailed 200 miles along the ice sheets before reaching the fiords of Southern Spitsbergen, which had just opened after the winter ice. The initial part of the voyage was through the seawater ‘sinks’ which drive all the planet’s ocean currents.
The scale of climate change is difficult to grasp and its causes often abstract in explanation. By taking people virtually via the web into the environment of melting ice and changing landscape, Cape Farewell was the platform by which the most current information was available to the public, empowering them with the necessary tools to be active in the climate change debate.
“We’ve got scientist doing research, teachers explaining what we’re seeing, and artists gathering some extraordinary images. We’re going to take it all back… whatever we can to get the message about how climate change will affect this beautiful place.”
David Buckland
Supported by Nesta, Arts Council England, Geographical Association, Greenpeace Environmental Trust. Proud to partner with National Oceanography Centre: Southampton, the Royal Navy, Big Heart Media and Oceanwide Expeditions.
See Also
Burning Ice
Cape Farewell’s first major book title, republished in 2016 to mark it’s 10th anniversary. Available for £20
ARCTIC
An album of sonic images by Max Eastley communicating emotion, passion and concern for our fragile natural world. Sold out.