Poetic Manufacture of Artificial Icebergs

by Barthélemy Antoine-Lœff

2023

Poetic Manufacture of Artificial Icebergs

by Barthélemy Antoine-Lœff

2023

Digital art

Installation

Environment

Science and technology

Digital art

Installation

Environment

Science and technology

What future for Antarctica? The installation features a map of the Antarctic continent, divided into 350 iceberg units. Visitors are invited to rearrange these units into a new, artificial topography of the territory. This staging becomes the platform for playing with and exploring the future challenges related to the white continent, bridging the gap between geopolitical fiction and geo-strategic projection.

Other

Suitable for all audiences

Without dialogue

Update : 21/02/2024

Poetic Manufacture of Artificial Icebergs - Solo show "horizon des évènements" - Stereolux, 2023

Poetic Manufacture of Artificial Icebergs - Solo show "horizon des évènements" - Stereolux, Nantes

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A frozen safe, Antarctica constitutes the largest reserve of fresh water on the planet, accounting for approximately 90%. Its ground is rich, and about 20% of the world's reserves of oil, gas, and minerals are believed to be buried there.

Officially, a neutral and demilitarized territory, reserved for scientific study, Antarctica is a terra nullius, belonging to no one. The Antarctic Treaty rules out any possibility of exploiting natural resources until 2048. Unofficially, some scientific bases serve as flags for states to claim a part of the continent.

In 2012, under the guise of scientific research, the Russians drilled up to 3,768 meters to test hydrocarbon extraction technologies in polar environments. The Chinese mapped the continent's resources.

The installation represents the map of the Antarctic continent, divided into 350 iceberg units. Audiences are invited to rearrange these units into a new, artificial topography of the territory. This staging becomes the play-support to explore future challenges related to the white continent, blending geopolitical fiction and geostrategic projection.