Polar nights on Svalbard | Spitzbergen The motivation for my first stay in Longyearbyen (21.12.2022-04.01.2023) was to learn more about the Arctic in the dark season and to face the challenges of visually capturing water in different aggregate states such as ice and snow, all under special light conditions. This stay was planned as preparation for the project module "The Arctic Ocean”, which I want to deepen by a further working phase in the Svalbard area in 2023.
Dark time. Cold. Snow. The streets of Longyearbyen are mostly deserted. Only occasionally do I encounter thickly masked figures. I walk along with rhythmic steps. Constant squeaking and crunching accompanies me. This is one of the northernmost settlements on earth. It is illuminated by numerous lamps that pierce the darkness, signs of human life. At -20° I explore new terrain. My chin is numb from the icy wind, it is getting to me, making the little snowflakes dance. Every now and then, a few fierce gusts of wind smash them like needles on the bare skin of my face. Time has other dimensions here. It passes quickly and slowly at the same time. It cannot be read by the light of the sun. Not now, in the time of the polar nights. A new experience. Very special. And I enjoy standing on the edge of the settlement in the dark, soaking up nature with my eyes while the camera does its work. I look out into the land of polar bears. I long for what is waiting for me out there. What I can only explore with company. Armed. For protection from the bears. I feel the power of nature. Melting into the ice and snow. The longer I stand and look, the more I see. The eyes become accustomed. Little by little, details, heights and depths in the landscape and the mountains reveal themselves. And the moon makes everything shine. Brings light into the darkness, reflected a thousand times by ice and snow. Everything is covered. It is fascinating to see how water presents itself in its different aggregate states. How it shapes, forms or reshapes the landscape. Clear, ice-cold air. Breathe in. Breathe out. Look. Enjoy. A pleasant form of deceleration. Experiencing the power of light. Capturing this in my pictures. Drawing the snowy landscape photographically with light. Magical.
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SNOW LONGYEARBYEN | 2022 | part of the project FREQUENCIES ::: THE RHYTHM OF WATER LANDSCAPE NEAR LONGYEARBYEN | 2022 | part of the project FREQUENCIES ::: THE RHYTHM OF WATER
